Can breech babies turn?
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Can breech babies turn? |
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Although some babies may turn on their own, this becomes less likely further along in the pregnancy. However, there is a procedure known as external cephalic version (ECV) where the baby is helped to move in a somersault type motion through the mother’s abdomen. Presently, ECV is recommended for women after 37 weeks of pregnancy.
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Figure 1 |
Figure 2 |
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Figure 3 |
Figure 4 |
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It is possible to help a breech baby to turn to a head down position before it is born. This is done by moving the baby in a somersault type motion through the mother’s abdomen. The baby’s bottom is moved up away from the pelvis (Figure 1) and to one side (Figure 2), then the head is gently encouraged to move down towards the pelvis (Figure 3). This is referred to as external cephalic version or ECV for short.
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