The World Health Organisation recommends that women should have a planned cesarean section only if an ECV has been tried and did not work.Women who have an ECV when they are 36–40 weeks pregnant are more likely to have a vaginal delivery and less likely to have a cesarean section than those who do not have an ECV. Turning the baby before this time makes a head first birth more likely but ECV before the due date can increase the risk of early or premature birth which can cause problems to the baby.There are treatments that can be used which might affect the success of an ECV. Drugs called beta-stimulant tocolytics help the womans muscles to relax so that the pressure during the ECV does not have to be so great. Giving the woman these drugs before the ECV improves the chances of her having a vaginal delivery because the baby is more likely to turn and stay head down. Other treatments such as using sound, pain relief drugs such as epidural, increasing the fluid around the baby and increasing the amount of fluids to the woman before the ECV could all effect its success but there is not enough research to make this clear.Turning techniques mothers can do at home are referred to as "spontaneous cephalic version" (SCV), this is when the baby can turn without any medical assistance. Some of these techniques include: a knee-to-chest position, the breech tilt, and moxibustion, these can be performed after the mother is 34 weeks pregnant.
A breech birth is when a baby is born bottom first instead of head first, as is normal. Around 3–5% of pregnant women at term (37–40 weeks pregnant) have a breech baby. Due to their higher than average rate of possible complications for the baby, breech births are generally considered higher risk. Breech births also occur in many other mammals such as dogs and horses, see veterinary obstetrics. Most babies in the breech position are delivered via caesarean section because it is seen as safer than being born vaginally. Doctors and midwives in the developing world often lack many of the skills required to safely assist women giving birth to a breech baby vaginally. Also, delivering all breech babies by caesarean section in developing countries is difficult to implement as there are not always resources available to provide this service. OB-GYNs do not recommend home births if a breech birth is expected, even when attended by a medical professional. Cause
With regard to the fetal presentation during pregnancy, three periods have been distinguished.During the first period, which lasts until the 24th gestational week, the incidence of a longitudinal lie increases, with equal proportions of breech or cephalic presentations from this lie. This period is characterized by frequent changes of presentations. The fetuses in breech presentation during this period have the same probability for breech and cephalic presentation at delivery. During the second period, lasting from the 25th to the 35th gestational week, the incidence of cephalic presentation increases, with a proportional decrease of breech presentation.