Contents:
- Medical Video: Childbirth Stations of Presentation
- What is a breech baby?
- Types of breech pregnancies
- What causes breech pregnancy?
- How do you overcome the breech baby's position?
Medical Video: Childbirth Stations of Presentation
Anything can happen during pregnancy. One of them is the position of the breech baby in the womb. But calm, breech pregnancy is not a strange or rare event. So, what causes the breech baby's position, and how to overcome it?
What is a breech baby?
Ideally, the position of the head of the womb should be right below the birth canal to prepare for labor. Breech babies occur when the position of the baby's head is in the upper part of the uterus, while the legs or buttocks are actually at the bottom of the uterus near the birth canal. About 3-4 percent of pregnancies experience breech babies.
This condition can usually only be seen and ascertained when the gestational age is at week 35 or 36. The method is to do a physical examination and an ultrasound scan.
Types of breech pregnancies
There are three types of breech pregnancies, namely:
- Frank breech (pure buttocks), when the baby's bottom is near the birth canal and the baby's feet are parallel to the body and close to the baby's head.
- Complete breech, when the baby's buttocks are in a down position near the birth canal with both legs bent close to the baby's bottom.
- Footling breech (foot presentation), when one or two legs are under and the baby's head is above. So, during labor, these legs first come out before the baby's entire body.
What causes breech pregnancy?
Until now, doctors have not been able to explain exactly the cause of breech pregnancy. However, according to the American Pregnancy Association, there are several possible causes of breech babies in the womb, namely:
- This is the umpteenth pregnancy. Repeated pregnancy causes the uterus to become very elastic so that the fetus becomes very rotating every time it moves in the womb.
- Twin pregnancy
- Have experienced premature birth
- Amniotic fluid is too much or too little. Too much amniotic fluid in the uterus will provide plenty of space for the baby to move. While too little liquid does not allow the baby to move
- The abnormal shape of the uterus has other complications, such as uterine fibroids, tumors in the uterus, and others
- Placenta previa, a condition that occurs when part or all of the placenta covers the cervix
- The age of the mother during pregnancy is too young or too old
How do you overcome the breech baby's position?
There are various medical methods that can be done to improve the breech baby. One method is to do an External Cephalic Version (ECV), which method must be done by an expert midwife or by an obstetrician who has been trained to handle the condition of a breech baby.
This action is done by massage or by placing pressure on the surface of the stomach of the pregnant woman to rotate the position of the baby in the womb. However, if you have a condition, such as multiple pregnancies, reproductive system abnormalities, or placental problems, your doctor may not advise you to do an ECV.
If it turns out that the ECV action does not succeed in changing the position of the breech baby, then the last step that can be done is by having a caesarean section when giving birth. Because the birth process is considered the safest method if the fetus is still in a breech position and has entered the time to give birth. Especially if there are other disorders such as umbilical cord loops and placental births.
Basically, every pregnant woman is always advised to see a gynecologist regularly. This is done so that doctors can monitor the progress of pregnancy and also the position of the baby in your womb. That way, the doctor or midwife can determine the right way of delivery for pregnant women so that your child can be born safely and healthily.
