A fetus might be in any of these positions: Left occiput anterior: The head is down, the fetus is facing the pregnant person's back, and they are in the left side of the womb. Right occiput anterior: The position is the same as that above, but the fetus is in the womb's right side.
The main positions babies take in the womb
The position a baby takes in utero is called the fetal presentation. There are three main fetal presentations:
* cephalic
* breech
* transverse
Cephalic: Occipito-anterior
The most common fetal position, and the ideal one for birthing, is called anterior or occipito-anterior. (“Occiput” is Latin for the back of the head or the skull.) This is when the baby is upside down facing your back with their chin tucked into their chest.
The anterior position is ideal for a vaginal birth, because the narrowest part of the baby’s head presses onto your cervix, helping it open for delivery. This is also the best position for the bones in baby’s head to mold so baby can travel smoothly down your birth canal.
The baby generally moves into this position by week 36 but can sometimes do so as early as weeks 18 to 20.
Cephalic: Occipito-posterior
A baby may also take the occipito-posterior position, sometimes called “sunny-side up” or “back-to-back.” Here the baby is upside down but facing forward, with their back against yours. Because the baby can’t tuck their chin down as easily when facing this way, the baby sometimes can’t travel down the pelvis as smoothly.
If a baby remains in the posterior position, your delivery may be longer and more painful and cause your back to ache. (Sorry to bring the bad news.) A baby in this position may require a cesarean delivery or delivery with help from forceps or a vacuum.
A healthcare provider may be able to manually rotate a baby during labor from a posterior position into a more optimal position for a vaginal birth.
Breech
In the breech position, your baby’s head is facing up, rather than down toward your pelvis.
There are three types of breech position:
Frank breech: Your baby’s butt is closest to the birth canal, and their legs are pointing up.
Complete breech: Your baby’s butt is closest to the birth canal, and their knees are bent (kind of like sitting cross-legged).
Footling breech: One or both of your baby’s feet are pointed down and closest to the birth canal.
Sometimes babies are in the breech position for most of the pregnancy but change position in the final weeks. But 3 to 4 percent of babies born at full-term stay in the breech position, which is not ideal for delivery.
Possible problems with the breech position include:
The cervix may not open widely enough for the baby to pass through easily.
The baby could become wedged against the bones of your pelvis.
The umbilical cord could form a loop and cut off blood supply or otherwise injure the baby during a vaginal birth.
If the baby doesn’t turn on their own and your healthcare provider can’t turn the baby manually, your provider may recommend a cesarean delivery.
Transverse
In this position, your baby is lying horizontally or sideways in your uterus, with their shoulder most likely positioned to come out first. Babies may lie this way at times, but it’s rare for them to stay in this position until the end of pregnancy.
If your baby stays in this position, your healthcare provider may try to reposition the baby manually. If that’s not possible, your provider will probably recommend a cesarean delivery.
On which side of the stomach does the fetus stay?
