All you need to know about Oblique Baby Position/ Oblique fetal lie
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Veena Shinde (M.D, D.G.O, PG – Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) from Warick, UK) Mumbai, India
Table of Contents – Oblique Baby Position
With every passing day in your pregnancy, you know your baby is growing and moving around in your womb. And ultimately, it settles in a particular position just before labor to enter the birth canal.
Most babies take the head-down position/ cephalic position/ cephalic lie or the most common birth presentation – the vertex presentation.
But some have ‘unusual lies’ or unusual fetal positions or even ‘unstable lies.’ The oblique position is one of these unusual lies/unusual baby positions that is relatively common. Others are – Transvers Position and the Breech Position.
‘Lie’ in terms of pregnancy means the position of the baby (its long axis) in comparison to the mother’s long axis. The baby’s long axis position in comparison to the mother’s (the baby’s position in the womb) plays a vital role in labor and the process of delivery.
Therefore, as you approach your due date, knowing and understanding about your baby position is necessary; you should talk to your doctor about how it can affect the labor and birth of your baby.
In this article, we have covered the ‘oblique lie/oblique position/oblique baby position,’ which like other fetal positions has its own challenges.
What is Oblique position/Oblique baby position?
A baby keeps moving inside the mother’s womb and only between the 32nd and 36th week of pregnancy does it settle in a particular position that determines the presentation during birth.
It’s called the ‘oblique fetal lie,’ when the baby lies diagonally and its head is against the mother’s hip. No one particular body part of the baby is at the opening of the cervix.
This is not the optimal baby position for birth and if the baby stays this way till the time of delivery, then an assisted delivery or C-section is the only safe way to deliver the baby, at least most of the times.
In an oblique position, doctors explain that the head is just at the side of the pelvic inlet. This is close to the optimal head-down position because if the baby moves slightly to put its head at the center of the pelvic inlet, it can have the vertex presentation at the time of delivery.
On the other hand, the oblique position can also become transverse if the baby moves away from the inlet.
Reasons for an oblique fetal lie
Medical professionals list the following as common reasons for an oblique baby position –
- An unusually shaped uterus
- Excessive amniotic fluid
- Baby’s size is larger in comparison with the pelvis
- Fibroids in the uterus
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Oblique baby Position and labor: Going into labor while baby is in an oblique lie
There are good chances that uterine contractions during regular labor pushes the baby’s head into the pelvic inlet, i.e. the Vertex presentation. If this happens, then a vaginal delivery is possible.
However, know that if these contractions move the baby’s head away from the pelvis and it comes into the transverse position, then a C-section will be the only way for childbirth. Your doctor will closely monitor your baby’s position in the womb as you close into full term so that it helps them plan your labor accordingly. They will discuss everything with you as well.
On the other hand, if the baby remains unaffected by the contractions in oblique fetal lie, then your doctor will have to go for an immediate C-section.
Oblique baby position in womb/Oblique lie: Risks
As mentioned earlier, the oblique position of baby is not the optimal fetal position, and therefore, there are some risks involved if the baby does not turn before labor.
The biggest risk with oblique position is that there is no body part of the baby that obstructs the outlet through which the baby is to be delivered. Therefore, if the amniotic sac ruptures while the mother is in labor, there is nothing to stop the umbilical cord from exiting the uterus through the cervix.
This will result in a surgical emergency, known as cord prolapse, which can be life-threatening or can cause neurological damage to the baby’s brain.
Another risk is if the baby is in oblique position and cannot fit through the cervix, then the doctor will need to perform an immediate C-section.
Turning a baby from an oblique fetal position
The good news is that there are certain methods through which you can try to turn your baby to the optimal position – vertex presentation before going into labor.
The ways to turn your baby from oblique position to head-down position are similar to those applied for transverse positions as well. And with oblique baby positions, many of these solutions actually work.
- Staying in squatting position to ‘open the pelvis’ to encourage baby to change its position to head-down
- Yoga poses like Downward Dog
- Sitting on a birthing ball and rolling hips with legs open (also called pelvic rocking): A study found that doing pelvic rocking on the birthing ball actually contributed in correcting the fetal position of the baby in more than 49% of the cases.
- Floating in a swimming pool
Quite a few doctors use the information that an unborn baby is sensitive to changing temperatures to change its position. They recommend covering frozen fruits or vegetables with a thin cloth and placing it near the baby’s head. The discomfort will lead the baby to change its position.
Of course, there are certain ways in which medical professionals too can help. As the baby’s head is close to the pelvic inlet, it is comparatively easy to use manual manipulation or External Cephalic Version (ECV) to move the baby in the head-down position. This is done with the help of an ultrasound, wherein the doctor checks the exact position of the baby’s head and guides it manually to the pelvic inlet. If there is enough space, the baby does drop in it headfirst.
When the labor begins, uterine contractions can also compel the baby’s head in the pelvic inlet. At 39 weeks, doctors can use ECV techniques to get the baby’s head in the pelvis and then use induction. This can help in a vaginal delivery if you have delivered a baby before. If this is the first pregnancy, then a vaginal delivery may be difficult as the uterus and abdomen of the mother are comparatively firmer.
Some doctors may also recommend acupuncture methods to get the baby in a head-down position, as they say it relaxes the mother’s musculature to allow the baby to change its position.
Conclusion
A baby’s movement and baby position in the womb becomes a vital thing to keep an eye on after the 36th week of pregnancy, as it gives an idea about how your labor and delivery shall be to your doctor/OBGYN.
In earlier observations or ultrasound if your doctor says that your baby is in an oblique position, then there is nothing to panic about. Discuss with your doctor and chart out a plan to try and turn your baby’s position to an ideal presentation before labor.
An oblique baby position might not be the ideal one, but it clearly has a good chance of turning into one.
All you need to do is stay aware, informed, and do as your doctor says.
Happy Pregnancy!
