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What are some risk factors for *breech position*?

User Xn Dx
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Final answer:

The breech position is where the baby's buttocks or feet are positioned to come out of the birth canal first. Factors increasing the risk include premature birth, low birth weight, excessive amniotic fluid, and abnormalities in the uterus. Most breech births today result in Caesarian sections for safe delivery.

Step-by-step explanation:

In fewer than 5 percent of births, an infant may be in a breech position, meaning they are oriented with their buttocks or feet closest to the birth canal rather than the head. Knowing the risk factors associated with the breech position can help healthcare providers prepare for a safe delivery. A complete breech describes when both legs are crossed and oriented downward, while a frank breech has the legs oriented upward. It has been observed that breech presentations were more commonly delivered vaginally before the 1960s, but in modern practice, a Caesarian section is often performed to safely deliver a baby in breech position .Several factors that may increase the risk of a breech birth include premature birth, low birth weight, excessive amniotic fluid, an abnormally shaped uterus or a uterus with abnormal growths such as fibroids. Additionally, a mother's previous pregnancies, especially if they included a breech presentation, might increase the likelihood of a breech position in a future pregnancy. Breech positions are generally not attributed to the fetal position causing conditions like clubfoot, but rather due to genetic or unknown factors. Environmental factors affecting the mother, such as maternal health, infection, and toxicants, contribute to a very small percentage of all birth complications, which includes breech presentations.

User Suraj Makhija
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