By Victoria Allen Science Correspondent For The Daily Mail
Published: 19:00 BST, 16 April 2019 | Updated: 19:00 BST, 16 April 2019
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Women could be spared from risky emergency Caesareans if they were given an extra ultrasound in late pregnancy, a new study has revealed.
Pregnant women typically receive an ultrasound scan at eight to 14 weeks and then again between 18 and 21 weeks.
But experts say another ultrasound at 36 weeks of pregnancy could mean an end to surprise breech babies.
These breech babies, which are the wrong way round in the womb, are usually delivered by emergency Caesarean, which carries a higher risk of bleeding for a mother.
A breech birth is when a baby is naturally born bottom-first or feet-first instead of head-first
The additional ultrasound could instead allow for doctors to try to turn a baby around the right way, or for a safer planned Caesarean.
Researchers, looking at late ultrasounds given to almost 4,000 first-time mothers, found one in 40 scans detected a breech baby which doctors would not have identified.
If used routinely across the UK, they conclude it could detect almost 15,000 breech babies a year and save more than seven children's lives.
Dr Alexandros Moraitis, a co-author of the study from the University of Cambridge, said: 'These scans could be done cheaply during a routine midwife's visit with a portable ultrasound.
'An additional cost of the scan would be cancelled out by the saving of detecting a breech baby and avoiding an emergency Caesarean.
'This could be a huge relief for the thousands of
