Australia's mothers and babies

Presentation refers to the anatomical part of the baby that is facing down the birth canal at birth.

The ideal presentation is when the baby is head first with their chin tucked to their chest (vertex presentation), which results in the smallest head circumference (Makajeva and Ashraf 2023). Babies in a breech presentation (buttocks or feet first) can have an increased risk of trauma or lack of oxygen during birth (RANZCOG 2022).

Whilst vaginal breech birth can be a safe option, many mothers with babies in a breech presentation are recommended to give birth by caesarean section (RANZCOG 2022).

In 2023, more than 9 in 10 (94%) women gave birth to babies in a vertex presentation, which has remained relatively stable since 2010 (fluctuating between 94% to 95%).

Figure 1 presents trend data on baby presentation for women who gave birth, by selected maternal characteristics, between 2010 and 2023. Select the ‘Current data’ button to view 2023 data.

Less than 1 in 20 (4.2%) mothers had a baby in the breech position. A higher proportion of mothers aged 40 and over (6.1%) had babies in a breech presentation, compared with mothers aged between 20-24 (3.2%).

Of mothers having a non-instrumental vaginal birth only 0.7% had a baby in the breech position, compared to 9.4% of mothers who had a caesarean section.

Women who had a multiple birth were more likely to have a baby in a vertex presentation (75%, compared with 23% of mothers with a baby in the breech presentation), based on the presentation of the first born baby.