ECV - manually turning a breech baby

[Granadilla]

Hi,

The hospital has discussed the possibility of manually turning my breech baby (ECV). I've read many forums where the process is said to be dangerous. For example: individual experiences with terrible consequences; people who have said that ECV isn't performed in their country; and doctors who have refused to perform ECV.

I would like to gather as much information as possible before making a decision but having difficulty finding medical studies or literature on this. Could anyone point me to research that has been conducted on ECV? Which countries don't perform ECV? What are the reasons why doctors have refused to perform ECV?

Thanks

I've had an ecv, if you would like to know how it was?
I was unsure myself but went ahead thinking it was my only chance for a natural labour.
The statistics on it working are different in each hospital, the woman next to me had one and worked 1st go, it didn't work for me after 3 goes.
You are super monitored before with scans and all the way through and for hours after.
I found it painful, the woman next to me said "ow" and it turned.
You can only have it done on days that you can have c-sections, and only have it done with experienced drs. My doctor told me it was straight forward and safe, they don't go around "having a go" on pregnant women.
Inevitably it's only you that can decide but I checked the dr, how many they had done, how many had gone 'wrong' (none) how many ended in emergency section (none).
Go on google type nhs ecv then the hospital you will have it at and it should come up as a PDF with info relevant to your hospital.

Sorry, also reasons they refuse to do it is cord positioning and not enough amniotic fluid for it to turn in, all checked through numerous scans before and on the day

When I was maybe facing this I looked at the RCOG guidelines, which are obviously in favour as otherwise they wouldn't be doing it in the UK but I did find them reassuring. There was a 0.5% chance of emcs but very very few instances of anything worse. And a 50% on average chance of the baby turning and staying turned.

I'd be checking with the hospital that they scan before and after (rather than just check heartbeat), whether they use muscle relaxant as standard and whether there are emcs facilities on standby.

Also, this is completely anecdotal from just a few people I spoke to who had it done, but it appears to me from those I know that if it's not going to work (bicorunate uterus or whetever) then it hurts like buggery, whereas when it does work it doesn't hurt much at all so I would be stopping the doctors if it is very painful.

RCOG info: www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/external-cephalic-version-and-reducing-incidence-breech-presentation

Also, do you know if your baby has always been breech? or if (s)he has moved?
I was going to agree if mine had moved as to me that indicated there was enough space and fluid for him to move back.

My friend whose was painful and unsucessful due to the bicorunate uterus (only discovered at the cs) had a baby that had been breech all along because his head was stuck in one of the 'lobes' of her uterus at the top.

I rejected ECV because DS was extended breech (legs straight with heels near ears) and I was told by Registrar that it's unlikely to work, and even if it does, there's risk of hip problems or internal damage to mum with ECV. I would probably have died if I'd gone for a natural breech birth. So ELCS was a no-brainer and a hurrah for modern medicine.

Ask what type of breech you have. They should be reluctant to do ECV if it's extended (or frank) breech. Footling might also be tricky depending on where the foot is, but classic ought to be OK.

We laughed a lot at the 20wk scan because we saw DS mooning at us, legs straight out and bum/bits showing (was obviously a DS!). Pretty much his leg position never changed and in hindsight we shouldn't have been surprised.