How will it affect my labour?
Most babies (90%) who are presenting face first are born just as normally as babies who are a
vertex presentation (crown first). This is because the diameter (or width) of the baby's face is about the same as the diameter baby's crown (i.e. about 9.5cm). Some caregivers choose to perform an
episiotomy or use
forceps, with a face presentation, but this is usually not necessary and should not be routine.
Complications will generally only occur if the baby's chin rotates towards the woman's back (i.e. their chin is closest to the woman's bottom) rather then towards the front (or the baby's chin closest to the woman's pubic bone). The chin is referred to as the 'mentum', and this position is called a 'mento-posterior position', it happens with about 10% of babies in a face position.
A baby cannot be born vaginally in a mento-posterior position because their head cannot extend back any further to 'turn the corner' under the pubic bone. If the baby rotates into this position then a Caesarean birth is needed.
Image 5-35 shows the baby in a face presentation with their chin towards the woman's pubic bone, allowing the baby to be born vaginally.
Image 5-36 shows the baby in a face presentation with their chin towards the woman's bottom. Babies in this position need to be born by Caesarean.