What Does Breech Mean?

A baby usually moves around in the uterus so that their head will come out first during a vaginal birth. On rare occasions, a baby’s feet and/or butt will be positioned to come out first. This is called a breech position.

Breech positioning may cause issues during a vaginal delivery. If your baby is still feet-down at 37 weeks, your doctor or midwife may try to move them into a headfirst position. This is done through something called an external cephalic version. Your care team may otherwise suggest you deliver by a cesarean section, which is generally safer than vaginal birth if your baby is breech.