Some moments in our lives are marked by many doubts, and for women, these uncertainties tend to be even stronger during pregnancy. When hearing unfamiliar terms like breech birth, it’s common to feel worried, simply because they don’t know what it means.
What is Breech Birth
One type of delivery that many people think is not possible to do, or assume always requires a cesarean surgery, is breech birth, which occurs when the baby is in a pelvic position—that is, the baby is born “sitting.” It’s common for babies to remain in this position until around the 36th week of pregnancy, when they tend to start turning head-down and get into position in the mother’s pelvis to be born. However, not all babies turn, as some stay in a transverse position and others remain breech. Many think that, when this happens, it’s necessary to go straight to a cesarean, but the truth is a breech birth can happen without major problems as long as it’s supervised by professionals and the proper measures are taken. Why Does Breech Birth Occur? (H3) To understand why this type of birth occurs, we first need to understand how the woman’s body prepares for the moment of birth. From the seventh month of pregnancy, the uterus tends to change shape as it prepares for labor, just as the amniotic sac fluid starts to decrease. From then on, the fetus begins to grow more quickly and fills almost the entire uterus. It’s the uterine contractions that determine the baby’s position at this point, as they get stronger and stronger (contractions actually occur throughout pregnancy, but usually only become noticeable at labor). One of the main reasons for a breech birth is often abnormal uterine structure in the woman, which ends up affecting the baby’s position or making it impossible for them to get into the correct position for a conventional birth. Premature births are also more likely to be breech, since the baby often hasn’t turned to the head-down (cephalic) position yet.
How Does a Breech Birth Happen?
A breech or pelvic birth occurs in a way that is very similar to conventional natural births, but since the baby is born feet-first or sometimes even bottom-first in some cases, certain special precautions are necessary to ensure a safe delivery—making this type of birth much more difficult, but still not impossible to do. It’s important to remember that just because a baby is in a breech position doesn’t always mean a normal (vaginal) delivery is possible. In many cases, there is indeed a risk, and a cesarean must be performed. To be sure, it’s best to have an in-depth conversation with your doctor, share your wishes, and see what your real chances are for a normal delivery.
Risks of Breech Birth
There are some risks associated with breech birth, mainly because the baby’s head is the last and most delicate part of their body to come out. Sometimes, right at the moment of delivering the head, the obstetrician may notice that the baby’s head is bigger than the vaginal opening, and surgery may be needed to prevent serious complications. Nevertheless, even though it’s more complex, breech birth does not pose significant risks to the baby’s health, as long as your prenatal care is done properly and no other health issues are involved. Many women may wonder why not just have a cesarean surgery, since that would solve the problem and avoid complications from breech birth. Besides the benefits of a natural birth, such as faster recovery for the mother, for example, it’s also the wish of many mothers to give birth as naturally as possible—and that should be respected. Even though it is a longer, more demanding type of delivery for the mother, breech or pelvic delivery is possible and is a natural way for a woman to give birth. Of course, having good professional support from doctors and nurses who understand what a woman is experiencing at the time can make everything easier. So don’t be afraid if you end up having to have a breech birth, because it’s more common than many think. Also see: Pre-Labor: What Are the Symptoms and Stages up to Birth Photo: Skitterphoto
