The Vanishing Birth Method

The standard practice for the delivery of breech babies derives from the improved safety of C-sections over the decades as well as a study known as the Term Breech Trial, which discovered in 2000 that breech babies born by cesarean had a better chance of survival than their birth-canal-traveling counterparts.

 Vaginal Breech Delivery Doesn’t Raise CP Risk in Newborns

Vaginal breech delivery — when a baby is born bottom first — does not increase the risk of cerebral palsy, according to a study reviewing the outcomes of more than 500,000 births.

 What’s the Deal with Vaginal Breech Delivery?

But I do wonder why providers feel so strongly about a particular position regarding more controversial topics in reproductive health. In regards to vaginal breech delivery, I think that a big prejudice is the absolute horror stories every seasoned OB/GYN has to tell about the time they saw a baby’s head get stuck. These accounts are upsetting, sad, and help explain why someone might think me ridiculous for even asking about training in vaginal breech delivery.

A C-Section Doesn't Have to Be Answer for a Breech Delivery

In Germany, more hospitals are willing to attempt vaginal births; in U.S., a change isn't likely.

Coalition for Breech Birth

The Coalition for Breech Birth is a consumer-driven, grassroots organization advocating for the re-normalization of vaginal breech birth. Founded in Ottawa, Canada in 2006, we have chapters and sister organizations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Delivering Breech Babies in the U.S.

Making the argument that more breech deliveries should be done in the U.S. is like boasting that you drove cross country without wearing a seat belt and nothing bad happened. Just because you get away with something, doesn't mean that it's a good thing. Ninety percent of breech babies can be delivered vaginally; it's the 10% who can't be who are at risk for life-long disabilities.

For Breech Births, C-Sections May Be the Safest Choice

For babies in the breech position, cesarean delivery may be a safer choice than vaginal birth. A Canadian study of 52,671 breech deliveries, published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that compared with C-sections, vaginal deliveries of breech babies were much more likely to result in an injured infant.

Heads Up; The Disappearing Art of Vaginal Breech Delivery

A breech baby is born nearly every four minutes in the United States. Until the year 2000, a woman could opt to birth her breech baby vaginally or via surgery. Then, in 2001, a study came out that took away one of those options. The study was later found to be faulty, but the damage was already done -- vaginal breech birth was almost completely eliminated from medical school training and from delivery rooms.

Into the Breech: This midwife says breech births are safe and natural

Normal, natural...and breech birth. In medicine today, those words aren't often spoken in the same sentence. But Ottawa midwife Betty-Anne Daviss believes that should change.

Many Breech Babies Still Born Vaginally, Despite High Risks

In the safest vaginal birth, the baby turns and lies head-down in the pelvis before delivery. The head is the largest part of a baby, and when that comes first, the shoulders and body tend to slip right out rather easily, Dr. Lucy Chappell told Reuters Health. But a “breech” baby does not turn and would emerge feet or butt-first. In that case, the head can get trapped, which can lead to birth complications. There are some techniques to try to help the baby turn face down, but they don’t always work.

Study reveals safest options for breech birth

The authors conclude even combining all the studies does not necessarily give the right answers on an individual level. All births carry an element of risk, however small. The important issue here is that women are aware of the evidence around breech birth, including the risks and the benefits of either a vaginal delivery or caesarean, so that they can make a decision about how they want to give birth.

The New Face of America's Breech Experts

Physiological breech birth is the best care for over half of women with breech positioned babies. Our nation has to catch up and learn the possibilities of gentle breech birth.

Vaginal breech birth: can we move beyond the Term Breech Trial?

Since the publication of the Term Breech Trial in 2000, planned cesarean has become the preferred mode of birth for women whose fetus is in a breech presentation. Over the past 20 years, however, subsequent evidence has not shown conclusively that cesarean birth is safer than vaginal birth for a fetus in a breech presentation when certain criteria are met. Many obstetric organizations support the option of planned vaginal birth for women with a breech presentation under strict prelabor selection criteria and intrapartum management guidelines. The growing trend toward cesarean unfortunately has left midwives and other intrapartum care providers in training with dwindling opportunities to competently master skills for vaginal breech birth.