Vaginal Birth Now Recommended for Babies in Breech Positions

This is year-old news, but I just found it today. It surprised me that this wasn't bigger news when the study was released... The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada has announced that c-sections are no longer recommended for breech babies!

An article at the Globe and Mail states that Canadian medical schools will now start training doctors to deliver breech babies, so that they can conform to the current guidelines:

Since 2000, C-sections have been the preferred method of delivery in breech births. Studies suggested that breached births were associated with an increased rate of complication when performed vaginally.

As a result, many medical schools have stopped training their physicians in breech vaginal delivery.

The problem now, according to Dr. Lalonde, is that there is a serious shortage of doctors to teach and perform these deliveries.

With the release of the new guidelines, the SOGC will launch a nationwide training program to ensure that doctors will be adequately prepared to offer vaginal breech births .

The new approach was prompted by a reassessment of earlier trials. It now appears that there is no difference in complication rates between vaginal and cesarean section deliveries in the case of breech births.

The article also references an organization called the Coalition for Breech Birth. Their stated purpose is to educate women about breech birth and to inform them that they have the option to choose to birth a breech baby vaginally, c-section is not the only option. “Educating women is our primary goal because it takes more than just a guideline change,” the coalition co-founder says.

Read more here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/c-section-not-best-option-for-breech-birth/article1186104/

If you're interested in seeing images of other breech positions that babies may take, check out this page: www.health-res.com/pictures-of-breech-presentation/