Final answer:
The vertical lie in pregnancy refers to a fetus's orientation within the uterus, often longitudinal. Specific types of breech presentations, like complete and frank breech, are types of longitudinal lie. Today, most breech babies are delivered by Caesarian section.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term vertical lie in pregnancy refers to how the fetus is oriented within the uterus. Typically, for most of the pregnancy and during labor, the fetus is in a longitudinal lie, meaning it is aligned with the mother's body, either head up or head down. When discussing a breech presentation, this is a type of longitudinal lie where the buttocks, rather than the head, are positioned to come out first during birth. In a complete breech, both legs are crossed and oriented downward. In contrast, a frank breech presentation is when the legs are oriented upward. Before the 1960s, vaginal delivery for breech presentations was more common, but today, most breech births are delivered by Caesarian section.