Can a Baby Stay Footling Breech to Delivery?

Overview

Types of breech positions during pregnancy.

What is a breech infant?

A breech babe, or breech nativity, is when your baby's feet or buttocks are positioned to come out of your vagina first. Your baby'southward caput is up closest to your chest and its bottom is closest to your vagina. Most babies will naturally move so their head is positioned to come out of the vagina first during birth. Breech is mutual in early pregnancy and most babies volition move to a head-first position by 36 weeks of pregnancy. This caput-first position is called vertex presentation and is the safest position for birth.

How common is a breech baby?

There is a small chance that your baby will non motion into a head-first position before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Breech babies account for near 3% to 4% of all full-term pregnancies.

What are the types of breech position a baby tin can be in?

At that place are several fetal positions your baby may present in. Ideally, your infant is positioned head-down, facing your dorsum, with their chin tucked to their chest.

Breech babies tin can be in a few different positions:

Frank breech: The baby's buttocks are aimed at the vaginal canal with its legs sticking straight up in front of their body and the anxiety near their head.
Complete breech: The babe's buttocks are pointing downward and both the hips and the knees are flexed (folded under themselves).
Trivial breech: One or both of the babe's feet signal downward and will deliver before the rest of their torso.
Transverse lie: This is a grade of breech presentation where your babe is positioned horizontally across your uterus instead of vertically. This would make their shoulder enter the vagina first.

How does a breech infant affect pregnancy?

Your pregnancy is commonly non affected. Most breech babies are born salubrious, although there is a slightly elevated hazard for certain birth defects. Your baby's movements may feel a picayune different. Yous will feel your baby's kicks lower in your belly. You may experience a difficult lump closer to your ribs. This is your infant's caput.

If you planned a vaginal delivery, a breech baby could change these plans. When your baby is breech, a vaginal commitment tin be complicated and unsafe. Your healthcare provider may experience comfy attempting a vaginal breech delivery, but in most cases, they will recommend a Cesarean birth (C-section).

How does a breech babe affect commitment?

If your babe presents in a breech position later on 36 weeks of pregnancy, your birthing plan will likely change. Information technology's usually unsafe for a breech baby to be born vaginally due to risks of injury. In most cases, a planned C-section is the safest manner to deliver your baby. Some healthcare providers may exist comfy with a vaginal breech birth. In some cases, turning your baby to a head-down position while they are still inside your uterus is an option. Your babe is then born head start.

Symptoms and Causes

How can you tell if your baby is breech?

You may be able to tell if your baby is breech, particularly if you lot take had past pregnancies where your baby was head-first. The places where yous experience lumps and kicks might indicate that your baby is breech. Let your healthcare provider know where yous experience move. They volition feel your belly or do an ultrasound to ostend that your baby is breech.

What causes a babe to be breech?

It's not always known why a infant is breech. Some factors that may contribute to this position are:

You are expecting multiples (twins or more). This makes it harder for each baby to get into the right position.
There is also much or besides lilliputian amniotic fluid.
The uterus is not normal in shape or has abnormal growths such as fibroids. Well-nigh of the fourth dimension, the uterus is shaped like an upside-downward pear. If it'due south shaped differently, there might not be enough room for a full-grown babe to movement into position.
The placenta covers all or part of the cervix (a condition called placenta previa).
The baby is preterm. This means they are less than 37 weeks gestation and may not have turned to a head-first position.
Your babe has a nascency defect that causes them to not plow head-down.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is a breech baby diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider may be able to tell which way your baby is facing by placing their hands at certain places on your belly. By feeling where the infant's head, back and buttocks are, it'southward usually possible to find out what role of the baby is positioned to come up out of the vagina first. An ultrasound may be used to confirm the infant's position.

When is a breech baby diagnosed?

Almost all babies are breech at some signal. Every bit your pregnancy progresses, your baby will naturally move to a caput-down position — probably betwixt 32 and 36 weeks. Your healthcare provider will feel your belly and determine where your baby is positioned. This will happen during most of your appointments in the 3rd trimester. After 37 weeks, a breech babe normally does not turn on their own. Your healthcare provider will discuss commitment options with you.

Direction and Handling

What are the options for treating a breech baby?

If your baby is breech at 37 weeks of pregnancy, your healthcare provider may:

Try turning your baby in your uterus into the caput-first position.
Plan a C-section birth.
Plan a vaginal breech nascency.

What are some complications of having a breech baby?

The complications of having a breech baby normally do not occur until it's time to deliver. Some breech babies tin be safely delivered through the vagina.

The risks of attempting a vaginal breech nascency are:

Injuries to your baby's legs or artillery such equally dislocated or broken bones.
Umbilical cord problems. The umbilical cord tin be flattened or twisted during delivery. This can cause nerve or brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

Will my physician attempt to flip my baby if information technology's breech?

If your baby is breech, your healthcare provider may consider turning your babe so that yous can take a vaginal delivery. In some cases, trying to turn your baby may non be rubber or the risks outweigh the benefits.

Flipping your baby may not be prophylactic if you accept any of the post-obit:

Bleeding from your vagina.
Placenta previa. This is when your placenta covers all or part of your cervix.
A nonreactive nonstress examination.
An abnormally small baby.
Depression level of amniotic fluid.
Low or loftier fetal heart rate.
Premature rupture of the membranes.
Twins or multiples.

The virtually common method used to turn a breech baby is called external cephalic version (ECV). It's performed by your healthcare provider around 37 weeks of pregnancy. This process is performed in the hospital just in case an emergency occurs. It involves placing hands on your abdomen and applying firm pressure to plough your baby to a head-down position while your baby is still in your uterus. It is about 65% constructive and carries some risks.

What are the risks of turning my breech baby?

The risks of ECV include the post-obit:

Premature labor.
Premature rupture of the amniotic sac.
Claret loss for either you or your infant.
Emergency C-section.
Your baby might plough back to the breech position.

Although the risk of having these complications is small, some healthcare providers prefer not to attempt to flip a breech baby.

Will my breech babe flip on their own?

Most babies will flip to a head-down position before they reach full term (37 weeks). If your baby is nevertheless in a breech position at this time, your healthcare provider will determine if you tin can deliver vaginally or if you will need a C-section.

How tin can I flip my infant if it'due south breech?

Some women will try at-home methods to flip their baby to a head-first position. They may assist, but there is no scientific prove that they piece of work.

Span position: Lie on the floor with your legs bent and your feet flat on the ground. Enhance your hips and pelvis into a bridge position. Hold this position for 10 or xv minutes several times a day.
Child's pose: Rest in the child'south pose for 10 to 15 minutes. Information technology tin can help relax your pelvic muscles and uterus. You can also stone back and along on your easily and knees or make circles with your pelvis to promote activity.
Music: Place headphones or a speaker at the bottom of your uterus to encourage your baby to turn.
Temperature: Endeavor placing something cold at the top of your stomach where your babe's head is. Then, place something warm at the bottom of your stomach.

A chiropractic technique, called the Webster technique, can besides help your uterus relax. Some providers fifty-fifty recommend acupuncture. Both of these techniques need to be done by a professional that your healthcare provider has recommended.

Prevention

How can I reduce my risk of having a breech baby?

At that place is zippo y'all can practise to prevent your infant from being in a breech position. If your infant is in a breech position, information technology's not because you did anything incorrect.

Outlook / Prognosis

Can y'all deliver vaginally with a baby breech?

It's possible to deliver a breech babe vaginally. Information technology tin exist more unsafe for the baby and the risk of injury is much higher. If the umbilical string is compressed during nascency, the infant could be deprived of oxygen and this could harm their brain and fretfulness. The cord could also skid effectually the baby's neck or arms, causing injury. Healthcare providers have various levels of comfort with vaginal deliveries of breech babies. Talk to your provider virtually the risks and benefits of different types of nativity for a breech infant.

Living With

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms during pregnancy:

Severe cramping or contractions.
Vaginal bleeding.

What questions should I inquire my md?

Learning your baby is breech may give you concerns about your delivery. It'southward completely natural to take questions. Some questions to inquire your doctor can include:

How can I tell if my infant is breech?
Is my baby OK?
What are the benefits and risks of turning my babe?
What are my options for commitment if my babe remains in the breech position?
What are the health risks to my infant and me if they are built-in breech?

Oft Asked Questions

Exercise birth defects cause breech position?

Nascence defects are slightly more common in breech babies. It might be the reason that the infant didn't move to the head-down position. Most babies who are breech at delivery are born without whatever health complications.

Volition I need a C-section if my babe is breech?

Most of the fourth dimension, a C-section is the safest way to evangelize a breech baby. Your risks of developing complications are much college if yous effort to deliver a breech baby through the vagina. However, some healthcare providers may experience comfortable performing a vaginal breech nativity.

How does labor start if your baby is breech?

Having a breech babe doesn't change some of the start signs of labor like contractions or rupturing of your membranes. In most cases, your healthcare provider will recommend a planned C-section. If your commitment is planned, y'all may not have whatever labor symptoms.

If you lot are in labor and go to the infirmary for commitment, your provider volition confirm your babe'south position a final time. Your provider could attempt a vaginal commitment, but information technology's more probable they will continue with a C-section to exist condom.

A annotation from Cleveland Clinic

Having a breech baby tin can be unexpected and change the vision yous had for childbirth. Talk to your healthcare provider about what to expect during a breech delivery. They tin help you understand the risks and benefits of a breech birth so that you lot and your baby are kept safe.

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Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21848-breech-baby