Health Tip: Some Women Are More Prone for Breech Birth
(HealthDay News) – Normally, babies are positioned in the uterus so that their heads will emerge first during birth. But in the case of breech babies, the feet or buttocks are poised to emerge first.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says breech births are more common when:
* The mother has had a prior pregnancy.
* The mother is carrying multiple fetuses.
* The mother has too much or too little amniotic fluid in the uterus.
* The mother has an abnormality in the shape of the uterus, or unusual growths such as fibroids.
* The mother's placenta is entirely or partially blocking the uterine opening, a condition called placenta previa.
* The baby is preterm.
i had a breech birth for my first child. (no choice have to go for c-sec) so far doctor didnt mentioned to me i have any of this common problem. my first child was in breech position since 6 months until give birth.
hopefully i will not have this for my second child. will it happen for second child?
I have heard that moms with breech babies are more likely to have more babies born that way. My first was breech from 6 months till about two days before she was born. My midwife suggested some exercises that can help “encourage” the baby to turn. With my second baby I started these exercises around 6 months and he was breech about half the time I was checked but was born head first too. Check out this link for breech exercises: http://pregnancychildbirth.suite101.com/article.cfm/turning_a_breech_baby
About 3% of all babies are breech so it’s a fairly common issue in pregnancy. It’s also not unusual for breech babies to turn at the last minute of their own accord. Up until fairly recently breech babies were still delivered vaginally unless there was another reason for sectioning. It was considered another variation of normal birth although it was seen as more difficult. Midwives and obstetricians were trained and had experience in delivering breech babies safely. Now that most breech babies are routinely delivered via c-section that knowledge has been largely lost which compromises the health and safety of babies who are undiagnosed as breech and limits the birthing options of those whose babies are breech.
This is the study that found that breech babies were more at risk if delivered vaginally than if delivered by c-section. It is the study that has been used as the basis of the policy of sectioning for breech.
Here is an article about how c-sections are not necessarily the best option for breech births and why Canadian obstetricians are being encouraged to manage breech deliveries vaginally.
At the end of the day though it’s something that all factors need to be taken into account when making a decision. If there are midwives or obstetricians skilled in breech birth than a c-section has a better outcome but it is a shame that all that knowledge has been lost and our choices as birthing women are reduced.