Breech Birth

Breech Birth

A breech presentation is defined as the condition in which the baby is in longitudinal lie and the podalic pole presenting at the pelvic brim with the head occupying upper pole of uterus. A breech birth is the birth of a baby from a breech presentation. In the breech presentation the baby enters the birth canal with the buttocks or feet first as opposed to the normal head first presentation. In breech presentation, fetal heart sounds are heard just above the umblicus.

The bottom-down position, called breech presentation, presents some hazards to the baby during the process of birth, and the mode of delivery (vaginal versus Caesarean) is controversial in the fields of obstetrics and midwifery.

Though labour and vaginal birth are possible for the breech baby, certain fetal and maternal factors influence the safety of vaginal breech birth (see below). The majority of breech babies born in the United States are delivered by Caesarean section.