The period of pregnancy is the most special in a woman’s life. The fetus grows inside the belly and a few months later, she can hold it in her arms. Until then, however, it grows and takes on different body positions.
Until the 30th week, the ᴇᴍʙʀʏᴏs usually have not taken their final position inside the ᴜᴛᴇʀᴜs since they are still quite small and can move freely. However, as they gain weight, their daily life in the ᴡᴏᴍʙ becomes more difficult and they are “forced” to take a specific body position into which they are born. In this article you will read what positions a fetus can take and what each one means for the birth that follows.
Anterior position
This is the position most babies assume shortly before birth. The baby’s head is in the mother’s ᴘᴇʟᴠɪs, with its back facing her belly. This means that his head presses on the ᴄᴇʀᴠɪx, which greatly aids the birthing process.
Posterior position
In this position, the baby’s head is close to the ᴄᴇʀᴠɪx but its face is facing the mother’s belly. It is known as the “back to back” position and makes it difficult for the baby to descend during labor. In addition, if the baby is large in size, this position delays the delivery. Therefore, most of the time, a ᴄᴀᴇsᴀʀᴇᴀɴ sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ is necessary.
If the mother spends much of her pregnancy sitting or lying down, it is very likely that the baby will take this position. However, the back of a fetus’s body is heavier than the front, so the pregnant woman can guide the fetus into the correct position as long as she leans in the direction she wants the fetus to move.
Transverse position
In this position, the baby lies horizontally in the ᴡᴏᴍʙ, usually with the shoulder over the birth canal. As the day of delivery approaches, most babies change positions but not all. Some insist on the horizontal position and then a ᴄᴀᴇsᴀʀᴇᴀɴ sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ is deemed necessary as there is a ʀɪsᴋ of ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs such as prolapse of the umbilical cord, i.e. the umbilical cord falling through the open ᴄᴇʀᴠɪx into the vagina before the baby.
Breech Position
The breech position is the most common of the abnormal fetal positions in which the baby is positioned with the buttocks close to the ᴄᴇʀᴠɪx. Births in this position usually occur in premature births after the babies have not had time to take the proper position. In this case, the doctor tries to move the baby to a vertical position. If she doesn’t succeed, then she proceeds to a ᴄᴀᴇsᴀʀᴇᴀɴ sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.