There’s a video making the rounds of a doctor performing an external cephalic version on a pregnant woman. The expectant mother was in for a routine examination to prepare for the upcoming birth when the doctor saw something that could potentially complicate the birth:
At 36 weeks and three days, the baby had entered breech position. Any mother knows that a breech birth can cause some serious issues during labor. Breech position occurs when the infant is in the mother’s womb foot, knees, or bottom first. During a pregnancy without complications, a baby should be born head first. While it is safest to perform a C-section during a breech birth, complications like umbilical cord prolapse, oxygen deprivation, and injury to the brain and skull can occur. Thus, if the infant can be flipped to the proper position before delivery, it is of the utmost importance.
The best part of this video is that we get to see the before and after sonograms. Even the untrained eye can tell something is wrong with the first sonogram, but at the end when the doctor looks at the view screen you can tell that the baby is right where it should be.
We don’t know if the birth went off without a hitch, but we’re confident that the baby will be just fine depending on such skilled hands to deliver.
And today we celebrate...