Placental location and its influence on the position of the fetus in the uterus

: There are different opinions concerning the influence of the placental localization on the position of the fetus in the uterus. Two options are suggested in breech presentation--placenta praevia and cornual localization as possible causes for breech presentation. The aim of the present prospective study is to establish the influence of placental localization on the fetal position in the uterus. Two groups of pregnant women were examined--the first with cephalic resentation (n = 125) and the second with breech presentation (n = 124). All of the pregnant women examined were nulliparas, with term pregnancy (37-40 weeks). Uterine and fetal abnormalities were excluded. The localization of the placenta was determined by ultrasonography. The cornu-fundal localization of the placenta was found in 4.8% in the pregnant women with cephalic presentation and 62.6% in pregnant women with breach presentation. Placenta praevia or low insertion of the placenta was found in 3.2% of the cases with breech presentation and in none of the cases with cephalic presentation. The authors conclude on the basis of the data in the study that the localization of the placenta influences the fetal position in the uterus.