Normal Versus Breech Birth

Five percent of newborns are born breech where the fetus has not rotated to a headfirst presentation at the cervix, but rather, where the buttocks are the presenting part. The principal concern of a breech birth is the increased time and difficulty during the expulsion stage of birth. Any attempts at realigning the fetus through the use of forceps could injure the infant. If an infant cannot be delivered breech perhaps due to the mother's pelvis being too small or a leg-first presentation, a cesarean section may be necessary. This is a surgical procedure where delivery of the fetus is achieved through an incision into the abdominal wall and uterus.