The exact cause of breech babies is not known. However, there are a number of factors that could be the reason this condition occurs. One of them is the volume of amniotic fluid that is too much or too little.
A breech baby is a condition when the baby's head in the womb is up and the buttocks/legs are down at more than 35 weeks of gestation. This condition can be identified through ultrasound examination (USG).
Various factors that cause breech babies
At a younger gestational age, the baby's head is generally still on top. At this time, the baby still has a small body that allows it to move more freely in the womb.
As pregnancy progresses, the position of the baby's head can slowly turn towards the birth canal and stay there. This is what causes premature babies to be more at risk of experiencing a breech position. Breech babies can still be born normally. However, in certain cases, mothers who are pregnant with a breech baby may be more recommended to undergo a cesarean section
In addition to prematurity, there are various other factors that can cause a breech baby, namely:
1. Amniotic fluid volume
If the amniotic fluid is too much (polyhydramnios), the baby can still move freely in the womb even though his body size is quite large. Conversely, if the amniotic fluid is too little (oligohydramnios), the baby will have difficulty moving or turning.
2. Twin pregnancy
Although having twins is a dream for many people, carrying twins will increase the risk of breech. This is because the uterine cavity becomes narrower due to the presence of two (or more) babies at once. If the uterine room is narrow, it will automatically make it more difficult for the baby to move.
3. Placenta previa
Placenta previa is a condition where the placenta or placenta is located in the lower part of the uterus so that it covers part or all of the birth canal. The position of the placenta like this will make it difficult for the baby's head to lead to the birth canal.
There are many things that increase a mother's risk of developing placenta previa, including if she has a history of surgery on the uterus or if she is over 35 years old.
4. There are abnormalities or complications
If the pregnant woman has an abnormally shaped uterus, such as a bicornuate uterus or other complications, such as fibroids, the risk of a breech baby is higher and it is difficult to deliver normally.
Various Positions and Ways of Handling Breech Babies
There are three types of breech baby positions, namely breech presentation (frank breech), buttocks-leg presentation (complete breech), and foot presentation (footling breech). Here is the explanation:
- Frank Breech is a breech position with the baby's buttocks close to the birth canal. The condition of the baby's legs is parallel to the body and the feet are located near the head.
- Complete Breech is a breech position with the buttocks and the baby's feet facing the birth canal with the knees bent (like a knee hugging position).
- Footling Breech is a breech position where one of the baby's feet is located under the buttocks. During the delivery process, the feet are the first to come out before the baby's body.
Actually, there are ways that can be done to lower the baby's head towards the birth canal naturally. If this method does not work, medical measures can be taken to correct the position of the fetus, namely: external cephalic version (ECV).
ECV may be performed to correct various breech positions. This method must be performed by a midwife or obstetrician. ECV is done by rotating the position of the baby in the womb through massage or emphasis on the surface of the pregnant woman's abdomen.
If the ECV method is not successful, the delivery process will be carried out by caesarean section. In addition, the ECV method should not be performed on women who are pregnant with twins or have abnormalities in the placenta and uterus.
Caesarean method is the safest step if ECV cannot be done and the fetus is still in the breech position as the time of birth approaches. Especially if there are disturbances such as the twisting of the umbilical cord. If this is the case, usually a cesarean section will be prepared in advance when the breech diagnosis has been established.
The position of a breech baby does carry quite a lot of risks, both for the baby itself and the mother. However, this risk can be minimized with good preparation. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to check with the obstetrician regularly to monitor the condition and position of the little one.