During pregnancy, the developing baby moves into several different positions. Equally labor approaches, some positions are safer than others.

The ideal position for a fetus but before labor is the inductive position. In this position, the fetus'southward head points toward the basis and they are facing the woman's back.

Well-nigh fetuses settle into this position past the last month of pregnancy. The inductive position is also known as a vertex, cephalic, or occiput anterior position.

The anterior position may reduce the chances of complications during pregnancy. Learn more about this and other fetal positions in the womb in this article.

Possible positions of a developing babe in the womb include:

Anterior position

The all-time position for the fetus to be in before childbirth is the anterior position. The majority of fetuses get into this position before labor begins.

This position means the fetus'southward head is down in the pelvis, facing the adult female'south back. The fetus's back will be facing the adult female's abdomen.

This position means the fetus's head tin be tucked in, allowing the top of it to press downward on the neck, which encourages it to open during labor.

A doctor or midwife may describe a fetus that lies slightly to the left as left occiput anterior or LOA, and ane that lies slightly to the right every bit right occiput anterior or ROA.

Posterior position

The posterior position is also known as the back-to-back position. This is where the fetus's head is pointing downward, and their back is resting confronting the woman'due south back.

In this position, it can be difficult for the fetus to constrict their head in, which can make passing through the smallest role of the pelvis more challenging. This can atomic number 82 to a slower and longer labor than the inductive position, and may too cause a backache.

A fetus may be more than probable to finish upward in this position if the mother spends a long fourth dimension sitting or laying downwardly, such as if she is on bed rest.

The back of a fetus's body is heavier than the front, so a pregnant adult female can encourage the fetus to roll into the ideal position by leaning in the direction they want them to move.

Transverse prevarication position

A transverse prevarication position is when the fetus is lying horizontally in the uterus. Most fetuses will not remain in this position in the weeks and days leading upwards to labor.

If a fetus is withal in the transverse lie position just earlier nascence, a cesarean delivery will be necessary.

Without a cesarean commitment, in that location is a take chances of a medical emergency known every bit an umbilical cord prolapse.

When an umbilical cord prolapse occurs, the woman delivers the umbilical string in the birth culvert before the babe.

Breech position

The breech position is when the fetus remains with the head upwards instead of down in the woman's pelvis. At that place are unlike types of breech position, including:

  • Frank breech: In this position, the fetus's legs lie straight upward in forepart of their body, so the feet are nearly the face up.
  • Complete breech: In this position, the fetus "sits" with their legs crossed in front end of the body, so the feet are about their buttocks.
  • Picayune breech: In this position, the fetus has either one or both feet hanging beneath their bottom. If a woman gave nascence vaginally, 1 or both feet would come out starting time.

Breech

Reasons why a fetus may remain in the breech position include:

  • also much or too little amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus
  • uterine fibroids
  • an irregularly shaped uterus
  • multiple fetuses in the womb

If a woman is conveying twins, one fetus may be in an anterior or posterior position while the other fetus is in a breech position.

Information technology is safe for a fetus to exist in any of the higher up breech positions while they are in the womb. Even so, there are some risks if the fetus is even so in a breech position when labor begins.

The best way of finding out which position the fetus is in is by talking to a doctor or midwife.

At each appointment during the second and tertiary trimesters of pregnancy, a doctor or midwife should feel the woman's abdomen to check the position of the fetus.

At the 35–36 calendar week appointment, they will check to ensure that the fetus has moved into an inductive or posterior position. If the doctor is unsure about whether the fetus is in the correct position subsequently a concrete exam, they may request an ultrasound scan.

Information technology may also be possible for the adult female to tell which position the fetus is in at home.

When the fetus is in the back-to-back or posterior position, the pregnancy bump may experience squishy. A woman may also find kicks around the middle of the belly, and some people may also see an indentation around their belly button.

When the fetus is in the inductive position, a woman may feel more kicks nether the ribs. Their navel may also "popular out."

Most fetuses turn into the head-down position by 36 weeks. If a fetus is in a breech position at 36 weeks, a doctor or midwife may advise an external cephalic version (ECV).

An ECV is a procedure where a doctor or midwife will effort to plough the fetus manually.

For this process, they will offset insert a small needle into the woman'due south paw to relax the uterus.

Using their hands on the exterior of the significant adult female's belly, a dr. or midwife will then gently manipulate the fetus from a breech position into a transverse lie position, then into a head-downwardly position.

Some fetuses plough by themselves later on 36 weeks, and some fifty-fifty plough during labor.

Some people recommend moving into certain positions, taking herbal medicines, and doing particular exercises to help babies in breech turn to the more favorable birthing position. Notwithstanding, at that place is no reliable testify to prove that whatsoever of these methods work.

If a person does wish to try these medicines or techniques, it is vital to consult a doctor first.

A baby will move into many different positions throughout pregnancy. During the last few weeks of pregnancy, nearly babies move into an anterior position, which is the all-time position for vaginal birth.

If a infant is nevertheless in a transverse lie or breech position just before labor, a doctor or midwife will make medical interventions to ensure the condom of the woman and baby during childbirth.