A breech birth (when the baby is due to be delivered) is considered a pathological condition due to a large number of complications during labour, especially regarding the fetus.
Diagnosis of Breech Presentation
The buttocks cannot go through the cervix with enough force to prolong labour, and even if it can, the head coming through the last can cause problems.
The fetal position can be detected correctly by ultrasound, not until the 32nd week of pregnancy but after 14 weeks.
Your doctor would ask you not to worry about your baby’s position at this time until your due date is near since your baby can change a few days after you’ve carried out the ultrasound check.
Complications of Breech Presentation
There are no complications if your baby is in the breech position before the 36th week, however, there are complications of a breech birth.
If you turn a baby in the breech position with a mechanical method, it’s likely the baby returns to the breech position later.
It can cause a premature rupture of the amniotic sac, and it can make delivery difficult for the mon when much water is already lost before the delivery date.
If your baby is in the breech presentation for a long period, it can cause premature labor and birth because the amniotic sac is likely to be ruptured or broken earlier.
You’re very unlikely to have a natural birth with a breech presentation at the 36th or 40th week, therefore, cesarean section is the last option.
Breech presentation is possibly going to make you or your baby to loss blood during pregnancy.
Management of Breech Presentation
Don’t worry, if you’re having a breech presentation, because the baby may turn over just before birth.
After the 37th week, the doctor can try to help the baby to turn around and get him into the correct position (ultrasound-guided).
If it works, the chances of natural birth are high enough, but keep in mind that the baby can easily return to the breech presentation again.
Some mothers claim that doing some exercises themselves helped their baby turn their head upside down. But the studies refer this to coincidence or luck.
You could, however, shine a flashlight on the lower abdomen so that the baby turn on their favourite tunes closer to the lower belly. Some just try talking to the baby and ask to roll over.
Others try to do the exercise followed by these instrcutions
- Lie on your back, bend your knees, put your feet on the floor.
- Put several pillows under the glutes to raise them by 20-30 sm.
- Remain in this position for 10-15 minutes, and repeat this exercise three times daily.
In this way, you can avoid or correct breech presentation in your pregnancy, but of course, no one can promise a positive result.
However, according to many women who’ve tried some of these approaches before, they were able to succeed with it.
So, why won’t you try it too and see if you could avoid or change your baby from a breech position to a normal presentation that’s safer for natural delivery?
If the baby hasn’t taken the correct position by the time of delivery, the doctor will determine the risk group and the delivery method.
The doctor’s decision will be based on his personal experience and his professionalism.
A cesarean section will be performed in most cases, therefore, you should discuss this with your doctor beforehand.
