Manual rotation is a simple procedure performed by many obstetricians and midwives.  It involves an internal (vaginal) examination during the later stages of labour, when the woman's cervix is fully dilated.  While the woman pushes, the examiner gently rotates the baby from the posterior position (facing towards the front of the mother's body) to the anterior position (facing towards the back of the mother's body).  The purpose of the procedure is to reduce the chances of a caesarean section, forceps/vacuum delivery, or other complications of the posterior position (see information on the posterior position).

However, there are no good quality studies to prove that manual rotation actually works.  The purpose of the POP-OUT Trial is to demonstrate once and for all if manual rotation is of benefit to mothers or their babies.

Manual rotation is believed to be a safe procedure.  We found only one case report of a prolapsed umbilical cord.  Although this is a rare event, it is an emergency which is usually life-threatening to the baby unless an immediate caesarean section is performed.

Last updated on July 28, 2012 by [Your Name Here]