ECV Or scheduled C section?

Balone&Karnes

I just found out my baby is completely breech at 36 weeks. I realize baby can still flip on his own and their are lots of things I can do at home that will at least make me feel like I might be helping baby without risk. The dr can only help the baby turn into the vertex position until 37 weeks. So I am stressing over this decision this week bc I need to have an answer for the OB of what I want to do by next week. I am really struggling with taking the risk with ECV or not. Doesn't seem like their is much research on ECV despite the long history. Does anyone have any advice or experience with this???

mnbando

I personally choose the ECV because I'd really like to avoid a c section.  My first ECV was "successful" because they were able to turn the baby head down, but she didn't stay. My baby was transverse when I went for the procedure and the next day she was breech.  (she feels like she's been doing circles in my belly this week). I'm going tomorrow to try the ECV again. My baby is still high and I have a good amount of amniotic fluid, so I have a higher chance of being successful again.  The risks of the ECV are pretty small, but they do it in a hospital so if something does go wrong, then they can get the baby out quickly. 

It really is a personal choice, my doctor said they don't really have a recommendation for me one way or the other of whether to do the ECV, schedule a c section, or do nothing and wait.

jodi1008

I go in for my EVC tomorrow and I am 36 weeks today. I would rather try and feel I did all I could to avoid a c section. Dr warned me of how much it will hurt but I feel it's worth it if it may help me not need a c section. Worth a try. I asked my dr if a version has ever caused complication for mother and baby and need to deliver and he said that has never happened to him so that makes me feel better as well. It looks like many of us mommas have breech babies in this forum and have gone for the version and from what I have read it looks they were all happy they tried it.

CordeliaD87

I didn't find out until I was 38w3d that my LO was breeched. I scheduled my version for 38w5d. I was told that there were minimal chances of it being successful bc I didn't seem to have enough amniotic fluid for him to turn in. Turns out, they were right, he did not move at all. I have a scheduled section for Friday 5/1, but I am still trying to come to terms with it. It is uncomfortable, but I do feel better about doing it.
Good luck with whichever decision you make!

Balone&Karnes

Thanks. The risks are scary to me and my husband but any risk would be. The probability of the risks happening seem low from what I have read. Is this right?

My dr didn't give me the option to wait.

Was it painful or more uncomfortable?

Balone&Karnes

My knee jerk reaction was try once. I'm not looking forward to a recovery of c section. But a scheduled one is better than an emergency....

Thank you everyone sharing your experiences with me.

mnbando

I didn't find it painful, but it was uncomfortable - it's someone pushing on your stomach so you will feel it.  My doctor said the risk of complication is 1 in 300-500, so pretty low.

supersarah77

My baby was breech at my prenatal appointment Friday when I was 36w5d, when he had been head down at the previous prenatal appointment. I just had a position check u/s yesterday after going to a chiropractor who practiced the Webster technique, an acupuncturist who performed moxibustion, and me doing spinning babies positions for a few days. The position check revealed baby is now transverse at 37w3d. I am scheduled for an ECV tomorrow morning at 9:00 am and am told I am a good candidate because I have plenty of amniotic fluid, he's obviously able to move from breech to transverse, and because it's my second kid I'm more "elastic." 

You're right, there isn't a lot of research on the effectiveness, I think because there are a lot of factors involved including the skill level of the practitioner. I've read 60-70% effective and very low risk of emergency c-section. I'd like to avoid major surgery if at all possible so that is why I'm trying less invasive interventions first. If the OB is able to flip the baby tomorrow, they'll put an abdominal binder on my to try to keep him in position.

Whether he turns or whether I have a c-section, I'm confident this baby will be healthy. Good luck to us both!

Some resources I found:

FAQs from ACOG

New Cochrane Review

Medscape

kaynix21

We did the ECV my doc assured me risks were very low - we had great fluid, etc and gave me a 40% success rate est because baby is Frank breech.

So I figured we would try because I wanted to avoid a c section, as major abdominal surgery is risky.

There is a lot of research on ECV so not sure where you are looking.

We attempted and it did not work for us sadly. Scheduled for a c section on the 12th and not happy about it.

Balone&Karnes

Thank you for the research! I looked up a Webster chiropractor too but the closest one is an hour or so away. I read about the Chinese medicine as well. I went to see an osteopath this morning who does hands on manipulation to help relax what can be for more room for baby to flip.
I have done yoga, hot and cold packs, music and light. Can't hurt anything and makes me feel like I am at least trying to help.
My dr says I am a good candidate for ECV as well with good amniotic fluid and my build.
Haven't completely decided yet but I am feeling better about it. I would like to avoid c section just bc it is major surgery and not looking forward to the recovery time versus the recovery time for a vaginal birth.
So happy I posted this discussion. Good luck Mommies! Hope all Mommies and babies are healthy!!

mnbando

I had my second version today.  It hurt more than the first one, but I think that's due to a combination of factors ( today I didn't have the relaxant, I had less fluid, and I had a guy doctor (i.e. stronger)).  I had to ask him to stop at one point because of the pain, but he got her head down

kaynix21

Congrats on head down @mnbando I'm jealous!

jodi1008

I had my first version just now and we got baby head down and baby quickly moved back so im back again in a week to try again