I've been wondering this too! I think my baby *might* be ascynclitic but I have no way to tell for sure. (I'm not dilated really so I can't vaginally try to figure it out either)

I can tell baby is LOT... but not exactly how the head is. he turns back and forth between OA and LOT... so you know... I'm not sure what's going on with the head down there.

 

My son was posterior and ascynclitic...My midwife could not tell until I was dilated and in "active" labor. We had no idea...labor was real hard either from one situation or the other. I do know that I have a rather large pelvis and we tried 3 times to push him out and get him to descend properly. I actually had to transport to the hospital from my homebirth because of "failure to progress." The CNM there that delivered my son said that she wouldn't allow me to deliver vaginally unless I was set on it (which I was) and I did but she informed me later that only 1% of women with ascynclitic babies can deliver vaginally.

All that being said, I would think it would be near impossible to tell the babies head position prior to labor starting...spinning babies has some good ways to prevent that position so if you are worried about it you could always try those!

 

i think there are ony ways to guess... like prodromal labour. long labours with little dilation or stalling labours things like that. but really it could be other factors too.

I shouldn't read these threads b/c I get too worried! haha

 

My daughter was posterior and my MW felt her by palpating my belly with her hands and with her face and was able to explain why I was laboring for so long. The RN in L and D also felt that she was acynclitic duing a cervical exam. Not exactly sure what they were feeling for, but these were two VERY experienced practitioners who may just be able to determine varying degrees of normal.

I have to disagree with the MW who said only 1% of acynclitic babies are born vaginally, (Although maybe that is true at that particular hospital). Isn't it around 20% of babies that are not AP?

 

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Originally Posted by jkseawell she informed me later that only 1% of women with ascynclitic babies can deliver vaginally.

There is no way this it true. Especially with all the modern conveniences we have these days(such as bucket seats and huge recliners), lots of babies end up acynclitic. Babies are not passive in birth and they can and do turn their heads to be able to come out properly. I also had an acynclitic baby, and a nice 10 hour stall to go with it, but the baby came out.

 

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Originally Posted by jkseawell All that being said, I would think it would be near impossible to tell the babies head position prior to labor starting...spinning babies has some good ways to prevent that position so if you are worried about it you could always try those!

I'm sure our situation was due to how horrible I felt at the end of my pregnancy, I was walking as little as possible and sitting in positions that were just not great. I've never known if my midwife didn't mention it (I had the long, not progressing labor for quite a while) because she didn't think of it, or she wouldn't have changed what I was doing, or if it would've just freaked me out (I really didn't need more stress at that point). But she helped me figure it out later, and I am very grateful for that. A few visits to our chiropractor really helped with the nursing issues he was having.

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Originally Posted by AugustLia23 There is no way this it true. Especially with all the modern conveniences we have these days(such as bucket seats and huge recliners), lots of babies end up acynclitic. Babies are not passive in birth and they can and do turn their heads to be able to come out properly. I also had an acynclitic baby, and a nice 10 hour stall to go with it, but the baby came out.

Just wanted to say I had the same weird labor, I am glad I was at home, and could just keep moving (instead of someone suggesting breaking my waters, which probably would've lodged him in that weird position) because eventually, one way or another, he seemed to straighten out and then I could do a productive labor and birth.

 

Once a mom is dilated (and sometimes before if the cervix is very thin) you can feel the suture lines by vaginal exam and figure out which way the baby is facing. This is harder with a baby who is very high, but possible. Asynclitic babies feel crooked sometimes too by vaginal exam.

 

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Originally Posted by jkseawell he informed me later that only 1% of women with ascynclitic babies can deliver vaginally.

I think this is one of those made up stats to make people feel better. Is she talking about babies who actually *come out* asynclitic or babies who *have been at some point in the labor*.
I have seen babies come out varying degrees of asynclitic. But, if you refer to any basic obstetrics or midwifery textbook you will find that being asynclitic is part of the *normal* mechanisms of labor. They engage in the pelvis OT and mildly asynclitic, most commonly by posterior asynclitism.
Asynclitism can lead to trouble in a more advanced labor or with a more extreme angle (as people have posted). But before labor - I wouldn't even consider being concerned unless there were other factors involved.

I personally have never been able to palpate and feel certain that a baby was asynclitic, but it is relatively easy to tell via vaginal examination.

 

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Originally Posted by Defenestrator Once a mom is dilated (and sometimes before if the cervix is very thin) you can feel the suture lines by vaginal exam and figure out which way the baby is facing. This is harder with a baby who is very high, but possible. Asynclitic babies feel crooked sometimes too by vaginal exam.

A birth I attended last week was like this. I never did an exam but the primary midwife did and just kept saying it all felt weird. She was fully dilated in front but a 7/8 in the back. We ended up transferring after mom had labored for over 24 hours and had been at a 7/8 for 7 hours. Baby was born vaginally at the hospital.

 

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Originally Posted by Sarahstw I think this is one of those made up stats to make people feel better. Is she talking about babies who actually *come out* asynclitic or babies who *have been at some point in the labor*. I have seen babies come out varying degrees of asynclitic. But, if you refer to any basic obstetrics or midwifery textbook you will find that being asynclitic is part of the *normal* mechanisms of labor. They engage in the pelvis OT and mildly asynclitic, most commonly by posterior asynclitism. Asynclitism can lead to trouble in a more advanced labor or with a more extreme angle (as people have posted). But before labor - I wouldn't even consider being concerned unless there were other factors involved.

yes I was thinking the same thing. and think how often a baby is ascynclitic and nobody would possible know b/c it turns around during labour and is birthed like any other baby. I think they only times we would "know" is it the head is actually birthed in ascyclitic fashion OR if the providor is sure about being about the feel the head in the cervix. I think the latter is pretty difficult and most dont have the experience or skill liklely needed. and sometimes I would think it would just not be able to told - just suspected by long labours, uneven dilating and prodromal labouring... etc

it really bothers me when people say things like "only 1% of ascynclitic babies are born vaginally". common sense alone should tell us this isn't true. perhaps with in the hospital as ascynclitic births seems to be much longer as a rule and rarely does a hospital "let" a woman labour too long. etc. (and rarely do they take time to even see what is holding the woman up or let them try varying positions etc)

 

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Originally Posted by Defenestrator Once a mom is dilated (and sometimes before if the cervix is very thin) you can feel the suture lines by vaginal exam and figure out which way the baby is facing. This is harder with a baby who is very high, but possible. Asynclitic babies feel crooked sometimes too by vaginal exam.

what she said... I don't have much practice with suture lines yet, but sometimes you can just feel that babies head is applied in an 'off-center' position. Sometimes we deduct that baby is asynclitic based on an odd labor pattern- long hard ctx, short easy ctx, long hard ctx, etc is sometimes a sign.

I don't believe that only 1% of asynclitic babies are born vaginally. Granted, we are a little more likely to end up with transport for an asynclitic baby (particularly if they're also posterior) but so far they've all been born vaginally.

 

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Originally Posted by completebeginnings A birth I attended last week was like this. I never did an exam but the primary midwife did and just kept saying it all felt weird. She was fully dilated in front but a 7/8 in the back. We ended up transferring after mom had labored for over 24 hours and had been at a 7/8 for 7 hours. Baby was born vaginally at the hospital.

so this is what I have felt with asynclitic babies the cervix, instead of being well applied all the way around the head , hangs like a loose sleeve in an area
as for well applied and tilted off- well babies spin /make a spiral when they come out so some part may move down before another but how long is the baby staying in that position? I have to say that we see most asynclitic babies born vaginally- although some are transferred in for pit and something to give mom a rest