Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026

External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?
Published on: June 6, 2020
Barriers and facilitators for vaginal breech births in Australia: Clinician's experiences
C Catling1, K Petrovska1, N Watts1
1Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Australia.
Background:
Since the Term Breech Trial in 2000, few Australian clinicians have been able to maintain their skills to facilitate vaginal breech births. The overwhelming majority of women with a breech presentation have been given one birth option, that is, caesarean section. The aim of this study was to explore clinician's experiences of caring for women when facilitating a vaginal breech birth.
Methods:
A descriptive exploratory design was undertaken. Nine clinicians (obstetricians and midwives) from two tertiary hospitals in Australia who regularly facilitate vaginal breech birth were interviewed. The interviews were analysed thematically.
Results:
Participants were five obstetricians and four midwives. There were two overarching themes that arose from the data: Facilitation of and Barriers to vaginal breech birth. A number of sub-themes are described in the paper.
Conclusions:
In order to facilitate vaginal breech birth and ensure it is given as an option to women, it is necessary to educate, upskill and support colleagues to increase their confidence and abilities, carefully counsel and select suitable women, and approach the option in a calm, collaborative way.
Related Concept Videos
Physiological Barriers
The blood endothelial barrier is the most porous of these. It allows all small ionized, un-ionized, and lipophilic molecules to pass through the endothelial lining into the interstitial space...
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Vagina
Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
Intrauterine Drug Delivery Systems

