Q&A: Nuchal Hand & Compound Presentations

A nuchal hand is one of several compound presentations where an extremity is alongside the presenting part of your baby at birth.  With a vertex baby, the presenting part is their head, and with a breech baby, it is their bottom. A nuchal hand means that their hand is up by their face when they are being born and this is the most common presentation irregularity.  Ideally, your baby retracts their arm and comes out headfirst.  A nuchal hand doesn't automatically mean a C-section, but it does have the possibility to bring up some complications. This episode answers several questions about a nuchal hand, how it affects your birth and whether there is anything you can do during pregnancy or labor to prevent it.