In the initial stages of gestation, when the baby has only a couple of dozen centimeters, and its weight does not exceed 400 grams, there is an extremely unstable presentation of the fetus, as the child freely floats in the amniotic fluid and actively moves. However, the picture changes dramatically, as soon as the last weeks of gestation come.
It was at this time that obstetricians and gynecologists began to be interested in the stable position of the baby, since birth is not far off. Sufficient consistency, necessary for determining the tactics of resolution of the burden, the child begins to show approximately to 32 - 35 weeks of pregnancy, when its significantly increased size makes the uterus tight. It was at this time that his position in the genital organ is unlikely to change itself, but it is still possible to do this with the help of doctors. When the process of resolution of the burden reaches a critical value, specialists determine which part of the body the child is pressed to exit the uterus, thus determining his presentation.
Types of fetal presentation
Depending on how the child is housed in his "house", the obstetrician and the doctor will choose the tactics of ending the pregnancy and the process of delivery. Consider the options for what position the baby can take:
- Facial presentation - the head of the child is strongly thrown back, and the person is pressed to the exit from the uterus. The birth, in this case, lasts a little longer and requires high qualification of the staff. Consequences of facial presentation of the fetus may be: untimely outpouring of the amniotic fluid, birth traumas of the child, birth of the dead fetus. It is believed that the best way out of the situation will be a cesarean section.
- Occipital presentation of the fetus is not a cause for concern if the child has placed a forehead to the exit from the uterus. The latter can significantly interfere with the passage through the birth canal, which explains the need for a cesarean. It is assumed that the natural delivery will be difficult and protracted.
- Brachial or transverse presentation is the rarest abnormal location when the child lies horizontally in the uterus. The causes of transverse presentation of the fetus are numerous prior births or the presence of pathologies of female reproductive organs. It is possible that during the course of labor the child will change his position. However, most often with an oblique presentation of the fetus recommends doing a dissection.
- In the case of pelvic presentation, the baby is in the uterus in a sitting position. If the buttocks of the fetus are pressed to the exit from the genital organ, then this position is called the gluteal, if the legs, then we are already talking about the fetal leg presentation. As a rule, there is no acute need for surgery, but complications with breech delivery can still arise. Particularly acute problem of what is dangerous is the pelvic presentation of the fetus, it becomes when a woman carries a large male child, her age has passed beyond the mark of 35 years, she has difficulty with heart health or has experienced several miscarriages.
- Longitudinal presentation of the fetus is the most common and means that the baby has taken the optimal position for his birth. The head is pressed to the exit from the uterus, which ensures the normal course of labor.
In obstetrical practice, there are also times when a low presentation of a child is diagnosed. It means that the mother has a wrong folded pelvis, so that the baby takes his position upside down too early. The answer to the question, what threatens low presentation of the fetus, there is a high probability of miscarriage, requiring constant medical supervision.
In time, the revealed false presentation of the fetus makes it possible to choose the correct tactics for pre-infancy, and the behavior of the mother and the doctors in the process of resolving the burden.