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| Genetics linked to breech babies | |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| Some babies are born bottom-first because of genetic traits inherited from either their mother or father, Norwegian researchers have said. | Some babies are born bottom-first because of genetic traits inherited from either their mother or father, Norwegian researchers have said. |
| Fewer than one in 20 is delivered this way up, but a natural breech birth carries extra risks to the child. | Fewer than one in 20 is delivered this way up, but a natural breech birth carries extra risks to the child. |
| A study of 387,000 births, in the British Medical Journal, found a baby had double the chance of being breech if their mother or father was too. | A study of 387,000 births, in the British Medical Journal, found a baby had double the chance of being breech if their mother or father was too. |
| But midwives said parents should not worry too much. | But midwives said parents should not worry too much. |
| We always tend to ask mothers if they know how they were delivered, and some midwives will ask the partners as well Mervi JokinenRoyal College of Midwives | We always tend to ask mothers if they know how they were delivered, and some midwives will ask the partners as well Mervi JokinenRoyal College of Midwives |
| As many as one in four babies are in the wrong position at the mid-point of pregnancy, but all but 3% or 4% are head-down by the time they are delivered. | As many as one in four babies are in the wrong position at the mid-point of pregnancy, but all but 3% or 4% are head-down by the time they are delivered. |
| The precise reasons why a baby might be in the breech position are not known, although the anatomy of the mother - in particular the shape of her womb - can play a strong role. | The precise reasons why a baby might be in the breech position are not known, although the anatomy of the mother - in particular the shape of her womb - can play a strong role. |
| Babies are designed to be born head-first, and coming out the other way round increases the chance of breathing problems at the moment of delivery. | Babies are designed to be born head-first, and coming out the other way round increases the chance of breathing problems at the moment of delivery. |
| For this reason, many women with full-term breech babies opt for caesarean sections. | For this reason, many women with full-term breech babies opt for caesarean sections. |
| Gene trait | Gene trait |
| The researchers from the University of Bergen looked at the records of more than 387,000 parents and their first-born children born between 1967 and 2004. | The researchers from the University of Bergen looked at the records of more than 387,000 parents and their first-born children born between 1967 and 2004. |
| They found an identical increase in risk passed from both male and female parents born in breech position. | They found an identical increase in risk passed from both male and female parents born in breech position. |
| While a mother might be able to pass on the increased risk through inherited differences in her physical makeup, any risk passed from a father raises the possibility of a genetic trait carried by the baby rather than the mother. | While a mother might be able to pass on the increased risk through inherited differences in her physical makeup, any risk passed from a father raises the possibility of a genetic trait carried by the baby rather than the mother. |
| However, other specialists say the picture is less clear. | However, other specialists say the picture is less clear. |
| Professor Janet Hardy, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said that there could be a separate, undetected factor that was increasing the chance of a breech birth in these families. | Professor Janet Hardy, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said that there could be a separate, undetected factor that was increasing the chance of a breech birth in these families. |
| She said: "Clinicians should continue to gather information during early prenatal care on maternal and paternal birth presentation and other potential risk factors for breech delivery." | She said: "Clinicians should continue to gather information during early prenatal care on maternal and paternal birth presentation and other potential risk factors for breech delivery." |
| Antenatal care | Antenatal care |
| Mervi Jokinen, from the Royal College of Midwives, said the findings were "intriguing". | Mervi Jokinen, from the Royal College of Midwives, said the findings were "intriguing". |
| "We always tend to ask mothers if they know how they were delivered, and some midwives will ask the partners as well, just to record this in the notes. | "We always tend to ask mothers if they know how they were delivered, and some midwives will ask the partners as well, just to record this in the notes. |
| "But on the whole, women should not be too concerned about the possibility of a breech baby, as long as she is receiving proper ante-natal care." | "But on the whole, women should not be too concerned about the possibility of a breech baby, as long as she is receiving proper ante-natal care." |
| Henry Annan, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said that having a breech delivery approximately doubled the risks of complications to the baby. | Henry Annan, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said that having a breech delivery approximately doubled the risks of complications to the baby. |
| "Having a breech baby does increase the dangers, although, with proper management, the chances are that the baby will be born healthy. | "Having a breech baby does increase the dangers, although, with proper management, the chances are that the baby will be born healthy. |
| "I think a lot of parents will be unaware of whether they were born breech or not, but this is still an interesting study." | "I think a lot of parents will be unaware of whether they were born breech or not, but this is still an interesting study." |