| Your doctor or midwife can tell you if ECV is an option for you. If so, you can choose whether or not to have it. Here are some important terms to know: - ECV – This stands for "external cephalic version." It is a procedure that a doctor or midwife can do to try to turn a baby around in the uterus. The purpose of ECV is to try to move the baby head-down so you can have a vaginal birth.
- Breech – This describes the position of a baby in the uterus. Doctors call it "breech" when a baby's feet or buttocks (rather than their head) are closest to the vagina.
- C-section – This is surgery to get a baby out. It is also called "cesarean birth."
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| How important is it to me to have a vaginal birth? |
- For some people, having a vaginal birth is very important. An ECV increases the chance that you will have a vaginal birth.
- Sometimes, a baby will turn on their own before the end of pregnancy, even without an ECV.
- If your baby stays in the breech position, you will probably need to have a c-section.
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| Am I willing to have some discomfort or pain during the procedure? |
- ECV can be uncomfortable. But the procedure is quick, and most people do not have severe pain.
- There are ways to relieve discomfort during an ECV. These include relaxation and sometimes medicines.
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| How will I feel about it if the ECV does not work? |
- ECV works a little more than half of the time. It is more likely to work if:
- You have given birth before.
- Your baby has not yet "dropped" lower into your pelvis.
- Other things might make ECV less likely to work. These include the location of the placenta and the amount of fluid around the baby. But it's hard to predict the exact chances of success in a particular person.
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| How do I feel about the risks of ECV? |
- Most of the time, ECV done by an experienced doctor or midwife does not cause problems.
- However, there is a small chance that problems will happen. These include a temporary change in the baby's heart rate, bleeding, and your water breaking.
- If there is a serious problem, like damage to the placenta, you might need to have an emergency c-section to get the baby out right away. But this is rare.
- There is a small chance that ECV will work, but then the baby will return to a breech position.
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| How do I feel about the risks of my baby staying breech? |
- If your baby stays breech, you will most likely need to have a c-section. Because this involves surgery, it has risks. It also takes longer to recover after a c-section.
- Babies born by c-section might also need more medical care than those born vaginally.
- In some cases, it is possible to have a vaginal birth with a breech baby. But this comes with its own risks.
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