OptiBreech Care Trial
This is a non-randomised trial. We will observe outcomes for a large group of women with a breech-presenting baby who are planning OptiBreech Care or have a vaginal breech birth at the end of pregnancy.
- Participant Information – consider whether you will give us permission to collect your data and contact you for follow-up surveys. (Download here.)
- Information about OptiBreech Care – this is information specifically about the care you will be receiving and information we know so far about safety (Download here.)
- Consent form – This form explains what you will be asked to consent to, and which parts of this are optional.
- Participating Sites
- Our published results so far
- OptiBreech position on planned vaginal breech birth at home
Further Information about Breech Birth
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Guideline: Management of Breech Presentation (2017) – This guideline contains the evidence-based information everyone should receive when deciding upon how to give birth to their breech baby.
In Episode 31 of The Obs Pod, “Bottom Down,” Consultant Obstetrician Florence Wilcox discusses how breech birth has changed over recent years, what the evidence says and how practice can improve.
Sources of Support
OptiBreech PPI and Participants Facebook Group: This is a group of OptiBreech PPI members who have experienced a breech pregnancy within the NHS, or have supported other women who have, and women, other birthing people and/or their families who have participated in the OptiBreech Project. The group arose out of the interests of the PPI group in providing a source of support to those planning a vaginal breech birth, and in listening to the experiences of those within the OptiBreech Project to help guide the research.
If you are reflecting on a previous or current birth experience after participating in the OptiBreech Project, either as a pregnant person or a PPI Group (Patient and Public Involvement) member, and you feel you need more support, we want to help. You may feel that you just need to talk through your experience, or you may want to provide constructive feedback to improve care for others. Here are some sources of support:
Birth Reflections Service: Most Trusts offer a Birth Reflections service. The purpose is to help you talk through your birth with the help of a qualified and experienced midwife. If you cannot identify how to contact your local Birth Reflections Service, the OptiBreech research team will help you.
PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service): Each local hospital has PALS officers who offer confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They can help you resolve concerns or give you information about the NHS compaints procedure, including how to get independent help. They also help to improve the NHS by listening to your concerns and suggetsions. If you cannot identify how to contact your local PALS service, the OptiBreech research team will help you.

Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP): This is an NHS working group of women, birthing people and their families, commissioner and maternity services staff collaborating to review and develop local maternity care. It is led by an independent lay chair who ensures service users are represented. This group can listen to your feedback and help you to influence local services. If you cannot identify how to contact your local MVP, the OptiBreech research team will help you.
Hi there,
Would you be able to tell me if women are able to transfer to a hospital that is involved in the Optibreech trial? I’m an antenatal educator based in London and I would love to signpost this to any clients who are interested. However most of the families I work with are booked into UCLH or a Royal Free so I would want to know that they have the option to transfer their care.
Many thanks.
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Hi Jana. Yes — Contact info is available on the Participating Sites page. The best place to do this at the moment is Kingston. We are also going to be accepting sites again soon, so it may be worthwhile to bring it up through the MVP group to see if there is local interest in joining the study.
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Hello,
I am 38 Weeks with a Frank breech baby. My local hospital will submit data to your project but that’s it. Where can I go to receive proper care? I am being advised by the hospital to elect a c section but I would like a vaginal birth. I have been told that this is going against guidance as there is not enough skilled staff due to a lack of experience in breech birth. I welcome your thoughts. Many thanks
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Hi Jessica, sorry to hear you are having difficulty finding an experienced provider. I have e-mailed you.
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Hi Shaun, my baby is currently breech at 38 weeks- my local trust is involved in the trial and have specialists however, they said they are not supporting people choosing to birth at home through the opti breech trial. Is there a way for me to access specialist breech support at home another way? Thanks
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Hi Hanna —
I’ve replied privately as well. To support our teams and people making informed decisions about where to give birth, I’ve published a vlog about the OptiBreech position on planned home breech birth.
This can be accessed here: https://optibreech.uk/2023/02/04/optibreech-position-on-home-breech-birth/
Warm Regards,
Shawn
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