What to do if the fetus is in an abnormal position at 33 weeks

When a woman is in the later stages of pregnancy, she should pay attention to the fetal position, mainly to prepare for delivery. If the fetal position is correct, she can give birth naturally. If it is not correct, she can practice in the last few weeks. But what should she do if the fetal position is not correct at 33 weeks? Generally speaking, you should pay attention to the fetal position from the 30th week of pregnancy. At this time, you can practice more movements, such as the chest-knee position, which can allow the fetus to change direction in the uterus.

What is malposition of the fetus? What is malposition of the fetus?

Malposition of the fetus is also called abnormal fetal position, which generally refers to the abnormal position of the fetus in the uterus after 30 weeks of pregnancy. It is more common in pregnant women and multiparous women with loose abdominal walls. Malpositions of the fetus include breech presentation, transverse presentation, occiput posterior presentation, and facial presentation. The breech presentation is the most common, while the transverse presentation poses the greatest threat to the mother and baby. Since malposition of the fetus will bring varying degrees of difficulty and danger to delivery, early correction of the fetal position is of great significance in preventing dystocia.

Expectant mothers whose fetus is still in an abnormal position after 30 weeks of pregnancy may wish to practice the chest-knee position more often, so that the naughty baby can turn his head in the mother's belly. This trick is also effective for women whose uterus is highly retroverted, causing dysmenorrhea and difficulty in conceiving.

Causes of malposition of the fetus

The occurrence of malposition of the fetus is mainly related to the following factors: the size of the fetus's gestational age, the size and shape of the pelvic cavity, the size and implantation position of the placenta in the uterus, loose abdominal muscles of multiparous women, multiple pregnancies, abnormal amniotic fluid, a short umbilical cord, whether there is an intrauterine tumor or congenital developmental abnormality of the uterus, etc.

1. Excessive amniotic fluid, loose abdominal wall of multiparous women, etc., make the fetus's range of movement in the uterine cavity too large.

2. Uterine malformation, fetal malformation, multiple births, oligohydramnios, etc., make the fetus's range of movement in the uterine cavity too small.

3. Narrow pelvis, placenta previa, giant fetus, etc., make the fetal delivery difficult.

What to do if the fetus is in an abnormal position?

1. Chest-knee position

That is, pregnant women keep their head low and hips high. Before doing the chest-knee position, you should urinate on your own and loosen your belt. Pregnant women can kneel on a hard bed, put a pillow under their chest, bend their forearms, place their head on the bed and turn to one side, with their hips and thighs at right angles. It can be done 2-3 times a day, 10-15 minutes each time, 5-7 days as a course of treatment, and check again after one week. This is a method of increasing the chance of the fetus turning into a head position by changing the fetus's center of gravity. The advantage is that it does not require any conditions or equipment, you just need to practice at home. The disadvantage is that pregnant women may experience back pain, dizziness, nausea, etc. during practice, and often cannot persist.

2. Moxibustion on Zhiyin acupoint

This is a traditional Chinese medicine method of correcting fetal position. Pregnant women should lie flat or sit upright and loosen their belts. At the same time, the doctor will moxibustion the bilateral Zhiyin points (outside the tip of the little toe) 1-2 times a day, each time for 15 minutes, 5 times as a course of treatment, and check again after one week. This method is easy to use, painless, and economical. Pregnant women can also learn to do moxibustion on their own.

3. External version

If the above methods are ineffective in correcting the fetal position, you can generally go to the hospital after 30 weeks of pregnancy and have the doctor reverse the fetus through manual pushing and other actions. This method requires professional skills and pregnant women should not do it themselves at home.