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In obstetrics, position is the orientation of the fetus in the womb, identified by the location of the presenting part of the fetus relative to the pelvis of the mother. Conventionally, it is the position assumed by the fetus before the process of birth, as the fetus assumes various positions and postures during the course of childbirth .
In obstetrics, Leopold maneuvers are a common and systematic way to determine the position of a fetus inside the woman's uterus. They are named after the gynecologist Christian Gerhard Leopold. They are also used to estimate term fetal weight. [1] The maneuvers consist of four distinct actions, each helping to determine the position of the fetus.
Fetal position (British English: also foetal) is the positioning of the body of a prenatal fetus as it develops. In this position, the back is curved, the head is bowed, and the limbs are bent and drawn up to the torso. A compact position is typical for fetuses. Many newborn mammals, especially rodents, remain in a fetal position well after birth.
By about week 21, the fetus begins to develop a regular schedule of movement. [17] The startle reflex is present in half of all fetuses by week 24 and in all fetuses by week 28. [19] Movement is restricted around this time because the fetus has grown so large it has little space for kicking or changing body position. [20]
They may also be referred to as delivery positions or labor positions. In addition to the lithotomy position (on back with feet pulled up), still commonly used by many obstetricians , other positions are successfully used by midwives and traditional birth-attendants around the world.
Fetal station −3 −2 −1, 0 +1, +2 Fetal station describes the position of the fetus's head in relation to the distance from the ischial spines, which are approximately 3-4 centimetres inside the vagina and are not usually felt. Health professionals visualise where these spines are and use them as a reference point.
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This causes rapid decompression of the baby's head. In contrast, a baby going through labor in the head-down position usually experiences gradual molding (temporary reshaping of the skull) over the course of a few hours. This sudden compression and decompression in breech birth may cause no problems at all, but it can injure the brain.