Babies usually position themselves in a head-down position a few weeks before they’re to be born. But, when they’re bottom-down, or breech, many women start worrying about their delivery options. If your baby is currently in a breech position and you’re inching closer to your due date, you might wonder, can sex turn a breech baby?
Breech presentations occur in about four percent of all full-term births, noted an article published on Medscape, and can occur for many reasons. In the United States, vaginal breech deliveries have become more and more rare, as doctors lean towards C-section as the safer option. Because many women try to avoid a C-section delivery, they often attempt to turn their babies in utero.
According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, there’s no research to back up the claim that sex can turn a breech baby. Though the Mayo Clinic noted that sex has been shown to induce labor for many, the claim that it may help turn a breech baby isn’t as proven. More likely, natural methods that take fetal positioning into account or increase fetal activity are better suited to attempt to turn a baby. A healthy level of low-impact exercise for pregnant women has been shown to promote fetal arousal and activity, and can lead to them turning themselves in the womb, according to Spinning Babies.
According to The Health Site, walking at least 20 to 25 minutes twice a day during your last trimester also increases your chances of helping turn your baby to a head-down position. Crawling on your hands and knees helps your baby move inside your body and can possibly change her position, and swimming, especially a breaststroke, may encourage your baby to a head-down position in utero.
To the thrill of pregnant women everywhere, sleep can be an important factor in coaxing your baby out of a breech position, too. According to Northeastern Chiropractic, sleeping on your left side with a pillow in between your legs gives your baby an optimal environment for positioning and movements.
If you’re wondering if sex will turn your breech baby, there’s no basis to guarantee that it will. Some simple exercise and a lot of sleep could be a better way to turn that baby. But, as long as your doctor gives you the OK, trying to turn your baby with sex can't hurt.
