Breech Births

Most of the time, in the United States, breech births are handled via c-section. One interesting thing is that, for decades now, some persons - mostly midwives - have said that a breech delivery - while uncommon (4% of births) - is not abnormal, but rather a variation of normal and therefore can be handled safely vaginally. This statement has however fallen on deaf ears.

If you have family members born 40 plus years ago, many of them were born breech. As a matter of fact, Florence's mother was a breech homebirth in 1938.

A large scale study done in 2000, was the proverbial last nail in the coffin for breech births. Cesareans became once and for all the method of choice if your baby is breech. A c-section is deemed safer for your baby. Since methods to deliver a breech are no longer taught in medical school, the lack of skill may be the only true reason that a breech baby is born via surgery.

This study was published worldwide in some major medical publications and it was presented at the Canadian Congress on Breech Delivery. Professor Marek Glezerman's research indicates that your baby is no more at risk during a vaginal breech birth than during a c-section.

Based on his findings, professor Glezerman is advocating a worldwide return to skilled vaginal deliveries for breech babies. It is safer for mom than surgery and as safe for baby.

Do we think that the method of practice for most OBGYNs is about to change?

Sadly...no.

As we stated earlier, the majority of doctors have no clue on how to deliver a breech baby safely. They have however plenty of practice in performing c-sections.

Professor Glezerman is quick to denounce what should be the obvious and that is that a c-section is a major surgical procedure:

It is riskier for mom than a vaginal birth

It decreases the likelihood that mom will choose to breastfeed

It increases the maternal risks in future pregnancies

Professor Glezerman also recognizes that it is easier for a doctor to perform a c-section than to successfully - skillfully - perform a breech birth. He is looking to midwives to partner with doctors to teach them how to deliver breech babies with "traditional birth methods." Again, we ask, what is the likelihood that most doctors will accept to be taught by midwives?

Professor Glezerman knows that the time is short since over two generations of medical students have received no training in breech deliveries. "The skill has disappeared," he explains. "Residents are no longer taught these techniques, and senior physicians are doing it less and less. We need to go back to the future and relearn what has been forgotten."

And professor Glezerman does not only make nice speeches. He also runs workshops for the newest generation of OBGYNs on techniques for vaginal delivery for breech babies. His courses include techniques of breech delivery, changing presentation from breech to head and management of different breech presentations.

We are thankful that one person has sounded the alarm and is taking action. However, again, we ask you, do you see the American model of care changing? Maybe not, but each woman has the right and the moral obligation to make the best decisions she can for herself and her baby and this may mean going against the grain and having a vaginal breech birth!

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