Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

[Why are most children born from I. cephalic presentation?]

¹Geburtshilflich-gynäkologische Abteilung, Städtisches Krankenhaus Lörrach.

Geburtshilfe Und Frauenheilkunde

|July 1, 1993

Summary

Most fetuses prefer crossing their legs, with the left over the right, leading to the common cephalic presentation (head-down position). This leg crossing offers a more stable fetal position in utero.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Retraction: Minimal skin dose increase in longitudinal rotating biplanar linac-MR systems: examination of radiation energy and flattening filter design (2016<i>Phys. Med. Biol.</i>61 3527).

Physics in medicine and biology·2025

Same author

Sci-Sat AM: Brachy - 01: Evaluation of dose-volume metrics for microbeam radiation therapy.

Medical physics·2017

Same author

SU-E-T-469: The Effects of Patient Anatomy and Parallel Magnetic Fields on Beamlet Dose Distributions.

Medical physics·2017

Same author

WE-E-BRB-06: Monte Carlo Calculations of the Skin Dose for Longitudinal Linac-MR System Using Realistic Three-Dimensional Magnetic Field Modeling.

Medical physics·2017

Same author

Sci-Thurs PM: Delivery-06: 2-D lag and response nonlinearity corrections for dynamic IMRT verification using an EPID.

Medical physics·2017

Same author

Minimal skin dose increase in longitudinal rotating biplanar linac-MR systems: examination of radiation energy and flattening filter design.

Physics in medicine and biology·2016

Area of Science:

Obstetrics
Fetal Development
Prenatal Ultrasound

Context:

The reason for the prevalence of the cephalic presentation in newborns remains unclear.
Fetal positioning within the uterus, particularly leg crossing, is a common observation.

Purpose:

To investigate the potential link between fetal leg crossing and the presenting position in utero.
To understand the factors influencing fetal presentation from the 36th week of gestation.

Summary:

Ultrasonography revealed that in pregnancies with cephalic (I.) and non-cephalic (II.) positions, fetuses frequently crossed their legs.
A preference for crossing the left leg over the right was observed, correlating with the more frequent cephalic presentation.
This preferred leg crossing is hypothesized to provide a more stable fetal position, with the more mobile leg positioned against the maternal abdomen.

Impact:

Provides insight into the biomechanics of fetal positioning.
Suggests a potential explanation for the high incidence of cephalic presentations.
Highlights the role of fetal proprioception and stability in determining birth position.

Related Experiment Videos