Presentations of the child prior to the delivery – 3B Scientific Position of the Child before Birth Chart User Manual

Page 4

English

Postures:

Angle of inclination of the infantile head in proportion to the longitudinal axis of the

infantile body (flexion, extension)

Engagements: Anterior part of the child during the appearance through the parturient canal (sinciput, occi-

put, forehead, feet, breech etc.)

Presentation and position are determined as follows:

1st (first) presentation:

the back (in longitudinal presentations) or the head (in transverse
presentations) of the child points to the left side of the mother

2nd (second) presentation: opposed to the 1st presentation

In addition to the exact direction of the infantile back to the left or the right, there are intermediate posi-
tions in which the back in longitudinal presentations can point more to the front (dorso-anterior), to the
back (dorso-posterior) or in transverse presentations to the front (dorso-anterior), to the back (dorso-poste-
rior), upwards (dorso-superior) or downwards (dorso-inferior). The following figures convey an impression
of the approximate frequency of the individual presentations:

100 deliveries

Longitudinal

Cephalic

Regular cephalic

presentations

(99%)

(96%)

(94%)

Transverse

Breech

Irregular cephalic

presentations

(1%)

(3%)

(2%)

Occipito-anterior presentations (fig. 4 and 5)
Among 100 deliveries, there are approximately 94 regular normal cephalic presentations.

Fig. 4:

1st occipito-anterior presentation: most frequent position

Fig. 5: 2nd occipito-anterior presentation

The occipito-anterior presentation is the most favourable presentation imaginable as it entails the least
jeopardy to mother and child in comparison with other presentations.

Occipito-posterior presentations (fig. 6 and 7)
Irregular cephalic presentations (occipito-posterior presentations, vertex presentations, brow and face
presentations) occur in approximately 2 % of the deliveries.

Fig. 6:

1st occipito-posterior presentation: most frequent position

Fig. 7: 2nd occipito-posterior presentation

The difference from the occipito-anterior presentation is the more backwards turned position of the infan-
tile back (dorso-posterior position). The occiput (and thus the back) can still turn forwards during the deli-
very so that the further course of the delivery corresponds with the course in case of an occipito-anterior
presentation.

Presentations of the child prior
to the delivery