The experience of your health care professional in delivering breech babies vaginally also is an important factor. Breech Presentation : A position in which the feet or buttocks of the fetus would appear first during birth. External Cephalic Version ECV : A technique, performed late in pregnancy, in which the doctor attempts to manually move a breech baby into the head-down position. Fetus : The stage of human development beyond 8 completed weeks after fertilization.
Fibroids : Growths that form in the muscle of the uterus. Fibroids usually are noncancerous. Placenta : Tissue that provides nourishment to and takes waste away from the fetus. Placenta Previa : A condition in which the placenta covers the opening of the uterus.
Placental Abruption : A condition in which the placenta has begun to separate from the uterus before the fetus is born. Prelabor Rupture of Membranes : Rupture of the amniotic membranes that happens before labor begins. Also called premature rupture of membranes PROM. Ultrasound Exam : A test in which sound waves are used to examine inner parts of the body.
During pregnancy, ultrasound can be used to check the fetus. Umbilical Cord : A cord-like structure containing blood vessels. It connects the fetus to the placenta. Uterus : A muscular organ in the female pelvis. During pregnancy, this organ holds and nourishes the fetus. Vagina : A tube-like structure surrounded by muscles. The vagina leads from the uterus to the outside of the body.
Vertex Presentation : A presentation of the fetus where the head is positioned down. Copyright by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read copyright and permissions information.
This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women's health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Some factors that may contribute to a fetus being in a breech presentation include the following: You have been pregnant before.
The placenta covers all or part of the opening of the uterus placenta previa The fetus is preterm. ECV will not be tried if: You are carrying more than one fetus There are concerns about the health of the fetus You have certain abnormalities of the reproductive system The placenta is in the wrong place The placenta has come away from the wall of the uterus placental abruption ECV can be considered if you have had a previous cesarean delivery.
If the baby doesn't seem to be in the expected position an ultrasound will usually be done to confirm the diagnosis of breech presentation. If ultrasound imaging is not enough there are also special prenatal X-rays that can be done to give doctors a more accurate image of the baby's presentation.
There are several reasons why vaginal delivery of a breech baby is so hazardous. For starters breech presentation makes the basic mechanics of vaginal delivery much more difficult. The baby's head is the largest part of their body so it is the most difficult to push through the birth canal.
In a normal, head-first delivery the crown of the baby's head sort of spears its way into and through the birth canal. Getting the head safely through the birth canal in the reverse direction is much more difficult and potentially dangerous.
Another major reason why vaginal delivery from breech position is so hazardous is because there is a much higher risk of a delivery complication called umbilical cord prolapse. Umbilical cord prolapse is one of the most dangerous events that can occur during childbirth. It occurs when the umbilical cord the baby's lifeline to the mother drops down into the birth canal in front of the baby instead of behind like in a normal delivery.
When the cord goes first and the baby comes through the birth canal after the umbilical cord gets squeezed and compressed against the walls of the birth canal by the baby's head and body. This can severely restrict or even cut off oxygen supply to the baby and cause major brain injuries or even death from perinatal asphyxia. Attempting a vaginal delivery when the baby is in breech position can greatly increase the risk of a birth injury.
Although there is currently a major push towards doing less C-sections, breech presentation is a situation where a planned C-section is simply the most sensible option. This is particularly true for premature babies that are more fragile. Coskun, B. This study compared outcomes in breech presentation pregnancies that underwent an emergency C-section and those that underwent an elective C-section.
The researchers found that the emergency C-section group had lower Apgar scores and postoperative hemoglobin levels. They also found that cervical dilations of two centimeters and above in emergency C-sections were associated with lower hemoglobin counts, increased blood transfusion needs, and NICU transfers.
The researchers concluded that healthcare providers should use caution when considering emergency C-sections and avoid iatrogenic preterm births. Gunay, T. This study compared and contrasted complications in spontaneous, induced, or C-section deliveries that involved breech presentation. The researchers found that induced vaginal deliveries had the highest complication rate, while C-sections had the lowest.
Rubin, A. Gold, E. Ralis, Z. Part I. Visceral organs and locomotor system, M. Ward, S. Tank, E. Tan, K. Byers, R. Brans, Y. Wilcox, H. Brakemann, O. Lazar, M. Caterini, H. C, et al. Bhagwanani, S. Towbin, A. Evrard, J. Daugherty, C. Deacon, A. Reis, R. Taylor, J. C, , Breech presentation with hyperextension of the neck and intrauterine dislocation of cervical vertebrae, Obstet.
Minogue, M. MacArthur, J. Bock, J. Ranney, B. Hibbard, L. Ellis, R. Marcus, R. Colcher, A. Eastman, N. Russell, J. Rovinsky, J. Joyce, D. Wolter, D. Harris, J. Zatuchni, G. Schifrin, B. Kaupilla, O.
0コメント