What Happens If a Baby Is in Breech Position?

A breech baby is one lying bottom or feet first rather than head down, so the buttocks or feet would be born first. Around 3 to 4 in every 100 babies are still breech at full term, so it’s more common than most people expect. Most of the time it doesn’t signal a problem with you or the baby. What matters is how the baby is lying when labour begins.

According to Dr. Bhoomika Jain, a gynecologist in Marine Lines, “Hearing the word breech is unsettling, but most of these pregnancies end in healthy deliveries. There’s usually time to check, to try turning the baby if it suits you, and to plan the safest birth if it doesn’t.”

There’s rarely one clear reason. A few things make it more likely.

• Often just chance: Most babies in this position simply haven’t turned yet. Up to about 32 weeks there’s plenty of room to move around, and most babies end up head down without any help.
• Not enough room, or too much: Too little amniotic fluid can leave a baby stuck in place, while too much lets it flip around freely. A uterus with an unusual shape, fibroids pressing on the cavity, or a placenta lying low can all leave less space for the baby to turn.
• History and timing: If your last baby was breech, there’s a higher chance this one will be too. Twins and early births raise the chance as well.
• Baby’s gender: Some studies suggest girls are slightly more often breech. The evidence is mixed, and either way it doesn’t change how your baby is cared for.

Your doctor checks how the baby is lying at routine antenatal visits, so with regular pregnancy care a breech position is usually noticed in time to plan for it.

Most of these pregnancies end well, though the type of breech changes how carefully things are planned.

• Should you be worried: Most women have nothing to fear, but a breech birth does need more care than a head down one. The biggest worry is the umbilical cord slipping down ahead of the baby if your waters break, which is why you should head to hospital straight away if that happens or labour starts early.
• Turning the baby at the clinic: Doctors can often turn the baby with a procedure called external cephalic version, or ECV. It’s usually offered from about 36 to 37 weeks. The obstetrician uses their hands on your abdomen to ease the baby round to a head down position, with the heartbeat monitored throughout, and it works about half the time.
• Turning the baby naturally: You’ll hear about positions like leaning forward on your hands and knees, and about swimming and moxibustion. Studies haven’t shown that any of these reliably work, so it’s best to ask your doctor before trying them, and never push or force the baby to move.
• If it stays breech: If the baby hasn’t turned by term, a planned caesarean from 39 weeks is the usual recommendation. A vaginal breech birth is sometimes possible with an experienced team and a suitable baby, and that’s worth discussing early.

Choosing between delivery routes isn’t always simple, and our guide to delivery decisions explains how the choice is made.

Dr. Bhoomika Jain has practised for over nine years across obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive medicine, with a Fellowship in Assisted Reproductive Techniques from KEM Hospital, Mumbai. For many women the word breech arrives late in pregnancy, and it brings plenty of worry with it. She goes through the scan with you, lays out each option in plain terms, and explains why she’d lean towards one. Position is checked at every late antenatal visit, so a plan is ready well before labour begins. You’ll know what to expect, and what to do if your waters break or contractions start early.

1. Breech Presentation. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf
2. Factors influencing the effect of external cephalic version: a retrospective nationwide cohort analysis. PMC, NCBI

Disclaimer: This blog is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice; please consult your doctor for personal care.