Why is "head first" the most desirable fetal position?

Answer 1

too many uneducated answers...
THE MAIN AND MOST IMPORTANT REASON:
If the head were to exit last, the umbilical cord would trail and the head would compress it in the vaginal canal resulting in foetal anoxia (baby starving for blood supply and oxygen)...if this were a protracted (long time) delivery, the baby could be dead by the time they get the baby out...this delivery is considered in the most emergent delivery category.

Answer 2

You have received a lot of different responses, and you'll have to decide which makes the most sense. Here's my contribution:

The head is the largest single part of a baby's body. Also, they don't bend and compress as easily as other parts, such as arms and legs and abdomen. (Babies' heads are very large in proportion to their bodies. The rest of the body catches up over the early months and years of life outside the womb.)

If a baby comes out buttocks first, then its legs and abdomen would have to come out simultaneously, and together they would be even larger than the head, which complicates matters.

Or if it comes out with one arm or one leg leading the way, then it is sort of coming out sideways. The birth canal would have to open to a huge size to get the body out sideways.

Or if it comes out with both legs first, most of the body would come out with no problem. However, the head would be the last thing to come out, and at that point the umbilical cord would be compressed (between the head and the sides of the vagina. So the baby would be getting no oxygen from the mother and would not be able to breathe for itself (since its head does not have access to air). The doctor can't try to get the baby out by pulling on the parts that have already come out, since that would damage the baby's neck, so this is a very dangerous situation.

In short, the best way is the usual way, where the large head comes out first (with great difficulty) while the mother is still providing oxygen through the umbilical cord. Once the head is out, the baby can start breathing, and the rest of the body comes out very quickly and easily anyway.

Answer 3

all of you do me a favor and never get into medicine( except the teacher, who is the only one who got this right) when a mother is in final stages of labor the child begins to loose Oxygen, that is because the blood flow to the cord diminishes so as to reduce the likelyhood of the mother bleeding to death. the cord has to compress to stop blod flow or the child could not be seperated form it without bleeding out. that is why the cord is clamped before cutting, to force artirial contriction do to lack of blood flow. it is a natural reaction. but I digress. if the head came out last the child would have an increased chance of suffocation. also. by being born head first it minimizes the chance of the cord wrapping around the neck and cutting off blood flow. if the child came out feet first it means the head and neck would have to pass the length of the cord to get out. finally, since a childs head is not fully formed he and plates of the skull are not fused the childs head can flex to push out, the chin on the other hand can't and could be on obstruction to birthing, not to mention the pushing of the body might twist the neck wich is unable to support the head for the first few months of an infants life and this could obstruct the airway, and even suffocate the infant.

Answer 4

It is only for land mammals... usually the head is the largest, and breathing is most important. (In the horse, the really tough part for the mare is the shoulders.... they are born with the head on top of the two front legs, as if diving. In the horse, if the hind legs come out first, the bladder is often ruptured, and the foal dies). In sea mammals, the tail fin is first..... the cord remains intact until the head --- final part in these critters) is free so that the female can push her baby up to the air...)

Answer 5

Legs first means a greater chance of the baby geting trapped, which endangers both mother and child. Head first, the limbs are flattened down next to the body and the form is more streamlined, so the baby is pushed out smoothly. Legs first, and the limbs can be spread apart and get stuck.

Answer 6

Other presentations tend to get stuck partway through the birth canal. It's especially distressing to deliver a breech baby and have the head get stuck, especially since the umbilical cord is the baby's oxygen supply until it takes a breath, and the cord's pinched between the head and the pelvis in that circumstance.

Answer 7

Because that is the smallest part of the babies body when it comes out as it comes out in the fetal aka curled up position. Shoulder first would be bigger than head first and butt first is bigger too.

Answer 8

Cuz in that position the baby travels down with the minimum cross section. in breach, or butt first the legs and the chest must travel together meaning a much larger cross section. That means a lot more stress on baby and more trauma to mothers bith canal.

Answer 9

It is much easier for the arms and legs to pass in that position. If the baby is feet first then you could have problems with their legs and arms spreading and causing some real problems for both the baby and mother.

Answer 10

well it is best to have a cone come out, then the ball first, it is over the st reach.