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Writer's pictureDr Tan Thiam Chye

Help! My baby is breech

Updated: Apr 25, 2019

You just found out your baby’s in the breech position and you’re panicking.

A breech pregnancy occurs when the baby is positioned head-up, so the feet are pointed toward the birth canal. In a most pregnancies, the baby will spontaneously turn head-down to get ready for birth, so a breech pregnancy presents some challenges.

In most pregnancies, babies are born head first. This means that most would have turned to head down position by 37 weeks. In only 3-4%, the babies are breech at term and it is unlikely that the baby would turn spontaneously.

Causes of breech pregnancy

I can't say exactly why breech pregnancies occur, but there are some reasons, especially

  • if the woman had several deliveries

  • in twin pregnancies

  • if amniotic fluid is low

  • if the woman has fibroid

  • if the woman has low placenta

3 Types of Breech

  • Complete breech: The legs are folded at the knees and the feet are near the butt.

  • Frank breech: The legs are straight up in front of body and the feet are near the head.

  • Footling breech: The legs will lead the way first.

Can I turn a breech pregnancy?

It is preferable to try to turn a breech baby between the 35-37 weeks. The methods of turning a baby vary and the success is only 50%. It is best to discuss the options with your doc. If all fails, C-section will be recommended for safe delivery.




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