The experience of vaginal breech birth: A social, cultural and gendered context

Breech birth has become a rare phenomenon in England over the last two decades. 3-4% of all babies present bottom or feet first at full term (37-42 weeks gestation) and despite conflicting research about the safest mode of delivery for breech presentation, the vast majority of breech babies will be delivered by planned caesarean section. The small number of qualitative research studies suggest that the experience of breech has complex meanings for childbearing women. This research intended to explore these elements further and to better understand this experience within a social, cultural and gendered context.