Did you know babies have to be in a particular position before they’re born? They’re supposed to be facing rearward, towards the mother’s back, presenting head first. But sometimes, that doesn’t always happen. So how do you know if your child is in the wrong position? The experienced Louisville birth injury attorneys at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC explain what an abnormal position and presentation of a fetus looks like?
Abnormal Position
An abnormal position happens when the fetus faces forward towards the mother’s stomach. Now, if you’re early on in your term and your baby is not positioned rearward, no worries. The fetus does not move into this position until the end of the pregnancy when it comes time for delivery. Doctors will use the baby’s position to determine the best delivery options available to the mother, as natural birth may not be an option for an abnormally positioned baby.
Abnormal Presentation
When doctors discuss the baby’s presentation, they’re referring to the part of the baby’s body that leads its way through the birth canal. In a correct presentation, the top of the head leads the way with the face and body angled in one direction, and the neck is flexed. However, if the baby’s neck is not flexed and the presentation is face or brow first, this can be considered an abnormal presentation.
There are three other types of abnormal presentations, including:
- Occiput posterior presentation: This position is called “Sunny-side up” due to the baby’s presentation. Their head is positioned first, but their face is facing up. This abnormal presentation is common, and the baby can be delivered facing this way; however, this can be hard on both the mother and baby as traveling through the pelvis is much more difficult.
- Breech presentation: In this position, the buttocks or feet are present first. A breech presentation is one of the other most common abnormal presentations, occurring in around 4% of full-term deliveries.
- Transverse lie: In this position, the fetus is laid down horizontally across the birthing canal, shoulder first. In order to deliver a baby in this position, a cesarean delivery is done, unless in the case where this baby is the second in a set of twins. In this case, the doctor usually turns the fetus before delivering it through the vagina.
If your doctor fails to take a safe course of action to deliver your baby, you may be entitled to seek justice. Our team of Louisville personal injury attorneys at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC has extensive experience advocating for mothers and their children who sustained birth injuries due to the negligence of doctors. If you have been in this situation before, it’s best advised to reach out to a specialized Louisville medical malpractice lawyer at our firm as soon as possible.
Call our firm at (502) 244-7772 or contact us online to get started on a consultation form.