Skip to main content

Breech Birth

Sarah Tiggelaar, MD, CLC, FAAFP, Lamia F. AbiSamra, MD and Bindusri Paruchuri, MD Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

At time of delivery, the sacrum or lower limbs are the presenting fetal part. 
  • Frank breech: Fetal hips flexed and knees extended with feet near the face. Sacrum presents first (40–60...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Often asymptomatic and discovered on exam or ultrasound (US)

  • Often found emergently in preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM)

PHYSICAL EXAM

  • Fetal anus/sacrum/genitals/feet palpabl...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • The options of ECV, elective trial of labor (TOL), or elective cesarean section should be discussed with the patient.

    • ECV is more likely to be successful when one or more of t...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Bilateral hip US of the neonate at 6 weeks of life to rule out developmental dysplasia of the hip. However, dysplasia is 3.7 times more likely to spontaneously re...

REFERENCES

1
Burgos  J, Melchor  JC, Pijoán  JI, et al. A prospective study of the factors associated with the success rate of external cephalic version for breech presentation ...

ADDITIONAL READING

Hannah  ME, Hannah  WJ, Hewson  SA, et al. Planned caesarean section versus planned vaginal birth for breech presentation at term: a randomised multicentre tria...

SEE ALSO

Placenta Previa; Preterm Labor 

CODES

ICD10

  • O32.1XX0 Maternal care for breech presentation, unsp

  • O64.1XX0 Obstructed labor due to breech presentation, unsp

  • O32.8XX0 Maternal care for other malpresentation of fetus, not applicable or un...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • External Cephalic Version should be offered to all women with a breech presentation without contraindications, ideally at 37 weeks, and is more successful with use of neuraxial analges...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

 
×