What every pregnant woman should know about breech births

Nairobi; Kenya: Every expectant woman attending routine antenatal clinic should be informed by an experienced gynaecologist of the presentation of their foetus in their 36th week of pregnancy. Usually, the foetus’ head faces downwards (vertex position) in readiness for a vaginal birth. However, in about three to four per cent of pregnancies, the opposite happens with the baby’s feet, or buttocks positioned at the birth canal. This is known as breech presentation and poses a risk to both mother and child at delivery.

Explaining breech presentation, Dr Joseph Musana, a gynaecologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital, who regularly deals with difficult pregnancies said, “Under normal circumstances, foetuses turn to the vertex position as early as 28 weeks with most rotating by the 36th week. In other cases, the baby ‘swims’ to the right approach late in pregnancy before labour,” says the doctor.