Breech Birth: How Common Is It and What Every Mama Should Know
When I learned my baby was breech, one of the first things I wanted to know was—how common is this? Is something wrong? What does this mean for birth?
Whether you’re facing a breech pregnancy or you’re just curious, here are some eye-opening statistics that helped me understand breech as a variation of normal—and feel more confident as I prepared for a natural breech birth in the hospital.
How Common Is Breech Presentation?
- Around 3–4% of babies are in breech position at term (37–40 weeks).
➝ Source: Wikipedia – Breech Birth - Earlier in pregnancy, breech is much more common:
- At 28 weeks, about 22% of babies are breech.
- At 32 weeks, about 7%.
- By term, only about 3–4% remain breech.
➝ Source: Birth Without Fear
Types of Breech Presentation
Not all breech babies are positioned the same way. Here’s a breakdown:
- Frank Breech (legs up by the head): Most common—50–70% of breech cases, both of my babies were Frank Breech
➝ Source: Verywell Family - Complete Breech (cross-legged): Less common—5–10% of cases
➝ Source: Birth Without Fear - Footling or Incomplete Breech (one or both feet presenting first): 10–30% of cases
➝ Source: Birth Without Fear
How Are Breech Babies Typically Born?
- In most hospital settings, breech babies are delivered by cesarean. And in many cases without any evidence based reason (meaning, there is no imminent threat to mom or baby).
➝ Source: Parents.com - However, vaginal breech birth can be safe with the right conditions and an experienced provider. It’s rare, but it’s possible—and this is what happened for me.
➝ [Same source as above]
Are There Increased Risks with Breech Birth?
- Breech birth is associated with a 2–4x increase in perinatal mortality, regardless of delivery method. But this is often tied to underlying causes like prematurity or birth defects—not breech alone.
➝ Source: Birth Without Fear - One study from Finland found the stillbirth rate for breech babies at term was 0.2%, compared to 0.1% for head-down babies.
➝ Source: PubMed
What Increases the Likelihood of a Breech Baby?
Certain conditions can make breech – which, again, is a variation of normal – more likely:
- Maternal Factors:
Uterine abnormalities (like a bicornuate uterus), placenta previa, or a history of cesarean
➝ Source: Wikipedia – Breech Birth - Fetal Factors:
Premature birth, twins or multiples, or congenital anomalies
➝ [Same source as above]
If You’re Facing a Breech Birth Too…
If you’re reading this and your baby is breech—take a deep breath. You’re not broken. Your baby isn’t wrong. Breech is uncommon, but it’s not abnormal.
Like my doula told me as I agonized over what to do with my breech presenting baby, “there is no such thing as a risk-free birth.” She was encouraging me to make an educated decision.
The wonderful news is with the right knowledge and a care team who respects your choices, you can prepare for a safe, supported birth.
I can’t wait to share how I gave birth to two breech babies naturally in a hospital. Part 1 is coming soon—make sure to subscribe so it lands right in your inbox!
If this post was helpful to you, would you please share it so more mom’s get the information they need? Thank you so much for reading!
