This document discusses fetal presentation during pregnancy and delivery. Fetal presentation refers to the part of the baby's body closest to the birth canal, which can be determined through vaginal exams, ultrasound, or feeling the abdomen. Normally, babies are positioned head down for delivery. Other possible presentations include breech, where the bottom is closest; brow/face, where the forehead or face is closest; and transverse, where the baby lies horizontally. Different presentations carry varying risks and may require techniques like external version to rotate the baby or a cesarean section for delivery.

1. Fetal Presentation
The term "fetal presentation" refers to the
part of your baby's body that is closest to
the birth canal.
By: Sharmaine Fuentes,RN

2. Methods for Assessing Fetal Position
vaginal exams,
Ultrasound,
feeling the abdomen,
and listening to the baby's heartbeat with a Doppler device.

3. Normal Position Of The Baby
• In most full-term
pregnancies, the baby
is positioned head
down, or in cephalic
presentation, in the
uterus.

4. Types of
Cephalic Presentation

5. The occipital fontanel is
the presenting part, and
this presentation is
referred to as a vertex
or occiput presentation

6. Types of Vertex Presentation
The vertex presentations are
further classified according the
position of the occiput, it being
right, left, or transverse, and
anterior or posterior
Left Occipito-Anterior
(LOA), Left Occipito-
Posterior (LOP), Left
Occipito-Transverse (LOT);
Right Occipito-Anterior
(ROA), Right Occipito-
Posterior (ROP), Right
Occipito-Transverse (ROT);
The Occipito-Anterior position is
ideal for birth

7. The fetal neck may be
sharply extended so
that the occiput and
back come in contact
and the face is
foremost in the birth
canal face
presentation.

8. • some consider the
brow presentation as an
intermediate stage
towards the face
presentation.
• brow presentations
almost always are
converted into vertex or
face presentations by
neck flexion or
extension, respectively.
Failure to do so can
lead to dystocia

9. Breech Presentation
Bottom part of the body
closest to the birth canal.

10. Types of Breech Presentation
Complete breech is when
both of the baby's knees
are bent and his feet and
bottom are closest to the
birth canal.

11. Incomplete breech
is when one of the
baby's knees is bent
and his foot and
bottom are closest
to the birth canal.

12. Frank breech is when
the baby's legs are
folded flat up against
his head and his bottom
is closest to the birth
canal.
Footling breech where
one or both feet are
presenting.

13. Complications of Breech
Prolapsed umbilical cord
is common in breech
deliveries.
Umbilical cord slips down
through the cervix before
the baby does. The cord is
then compressed during
contractions, which cuts
down on blood flow to the
baby. An emergency
cesarean section is usually
needed.

14. Correcting Breech
doctor may try to manually move him into a head-down position for
delivery. There are two ways to do this: During an external version, the
doctor moves your baby by pressing on the outside of your belly.
During an internal version, the doctor inserts his hand through the
vagina and cervix and moves the baby from the inside.
If your doctor can't manually reposition the baby, a cesarean section
may be needed.

15. Other Presentations
Posterior position, his face is turned up toward
your belly. This can make labor longer and more
difficult, since the widest part of his head has to fit
through the birth canal.
The baby can rotate into a normal, face-down
position by getting on all fours with mother’s
bottom in the air, which allows her uterus to drop
forward.
The doctor may also try to reposition the baby by
reaching in through her vagina and gently rotating
his head with his hand or forceps. If none of these
methods works, a cesarean section may be needed.

16. Transverse Presentation
If the baby is transverse, he is
lying horizontally in the
uterus.
The doctor may try to
manually turn him into a
head-down position, but a
cesarean section is usually
needed.

17. Prepared by:
Sharmaine Fuentes, RN
Davao City , Philippines, 8002
fuentesharm888@gmail.com