Fetal head presentation - what is this? Is it normal?

The baby in the uterus is located in a certain way. The fetal head presentation is most often observed . What it is? What are its types? How to determine the position of the fetus? It is necessary to understand this.

Head fetal presentation: what is it?

So, the presentation of the fetus is the location of its largest part (buttocks and trunk) in relation to the entrance to the pelvis of the future mother. Most often the head presentation of the fetus takes place. What is it? This means that the baby is located head down, that is, it is adjacent to the pelvis. It is this posture that is considered physiologically correct and natural, since it makes it much easier for a toddler to pass through the birth canal. First, the head goes down into the pelvis (the bones of it should expand at the same time), then the shoulders go, and then the rest of the body leaves.

Types of head presentation

Even if the baby is located head down in relation to the woman's pelvis, this does not mean that the birth process will be natural and easy, because everything depends on how the crumb is turned. There are several different positions of the head previa.

1. Occipital head presentation of the fetus. What is it? It is optimal. At the same time the baby's head is bent, the chin is pressed to the chest, the back of the neck appears first at the exit from the birth canal, then the remaining parts. In this situation, most births are without complications, because the occipital part is the smallest, which allows the pelvis and the vagina to expand gradually. The baby is not subjected to strong squeezing.

2. Forehead pronation. At the same time the head of the baby is slightly raised, the first of the birth canals is a theme. It is wider than the back of the head, so that the delivery will take longer and longer, the risks of birth injuries are slightly higher.

3. Frontal and facial. What does the head presentation of the fetus mean in this case? The head of the baby is strongly unbent, the forehead or face first appears. In such a situation, natural births are possible, but only when the fetus is not large, and the mother's pelvis is wide enough. In other cases, the cesarean section is performed, as the risk of injury to the baby and the mother is very high, because there is a strong neck bend in the baby. In addition, the front of the head is very wide, so that the passage of the fetus through the birth canal is difficult, which can lead to rupture of the vagina or cervix, as well as asphyxiation (suffocation) of the fetus.

Positions of the fetus

In addition to the presentation, the position of the fetus is also differentiated. They are determined depending on the location of the fetal backrest in relation to the walls of the uterus. In total there are 2 positions.

• The first is characterized by the location of the back of the future baby closer to the left side of the uterus.
• Head presentation of the fetus: 2 position is that the back of the baby is turned to the right side of the uterus.

Most often, the first position occurs, which is explained by the physiological structure of the uterus and the location of this organ in the body of a woman.

It only remains to add that the presentation of the fetus and the position can be determined by the doctor on examination by palpation. But the most accurate method is ultrasound. Trying to find out everything yourself is not worth it.