Know-how: Breech Positions
If your midwife tells you your baby is in a breech position, what do the various terms really mean?
Posted: 12 June 2008
by ThinkBaby
Although most women don't tend to go through a breech birth, it can be done completely safely in many cases. However, it is more likely that your midwife will advise ahead of the birth, that an attempt should be made to turn the baby so that the head is down for a normal vaginal delivery.
Terms for different breech positions
These are the terms for how the baby might be laying breech in the womb.
- Frank Breech - This is when the baby's hips are 'flexed' and both legs are straight up, so that only the baby's bottom is laying at the base of the womb, over the cervix (where the head should be). In some cases, this position is deemed safe enough for a vaginal birth.
- Footling Breech - This is when the baby is 'upright' with legs folded and with one or both feet sitting directly above the cervix. If the woman's waters break when the baby is in this position the danger is that a leg will come down first and delay safe delivery. If this was to happen the most likely course of action would be an emergency caesarian.
- Complete Breech - When the baby is in the birth position but upright rather than upside down, this is called a Complete Breech. The legs are folded with the feet downwards with the bottom.
A vaginal birth is not completely ruled out with some breech positions, but generally in the UK the options of attempting to turn the baby (as mentioned above) or performing a caesarian section are most common. If a caesarian is decided upon before you go into labour it will be carried out as a planned caesarian rather than an emergency caesarian.
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