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"Views of a Fetus in the Womb", Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1510-1512.

Fetal position (British English: foetal) is a medical term used to describe the positioning of the body of a prenatal fetus as it develops. In this position, the back is curved, the head is bowed, and the limbs are bent and drawn up to the torso. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (770x812, 181 KB) Views of a Foetus in the Womb (c. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (770x812, 181 KB) Views of a Foetus in the Womb (c. ... “Da Vinci” redirects here. ... Year 1510 (MDX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Year 1512 (MDXII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... This article is about an episode of the medical drama television series House. ... British English (BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere in the Anglophone world. ... Look up position in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... With regard to living things, a body is the integral physical material of an individual. ... For other uses, see Fetus (disambiguation). ... This article is about human pregnancy in biological females. ... A limb (from the Old English lim) is a jointed, or prehensile (as octopus tentacles or new world monkey tails), appendage of the human or animal body; a large or main branch of a tree; a representative, branch or member of a group or organization. ...

This position is used in the medical profession to minimize injury to the neck and chest.

Sometimes, when a person has suffered extreme physical or psychological trauma (including massive stress), they will assume the fetal position or a similar position in which the back is curved forward, the legs are brought up as tightly against the abdomen as possible, the head is bowed as close to the abdomen as possible, and the arms are wrapped around the head to prevent further trauma. This position provides better protection to the brain and vital organs than simply lying spread out on the ground, so it is obvious as to why it is an instinctual reaction to extreme stress or trauma when the brain is no longer able to cope with the surrounding environment, and in essence "shuts down" temporarily. In medicine, a trauma patient has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury resulting in secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure and death. ... Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event. ... In medical terms, stress is the disruption of homeostasis through physical or psychological stimuli. ... For other uses, see Head (disambiguation). ... In medicine, a trauma patient has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury resulting in secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure and death. ... Human brain In animals, the brain (enkephale) (Greek for in the skull), is the control center of the central nervous system, responsible for behavior. ...

The fetal position has been observed in drug addicts, who enter the position when experiencing withdrawal. For other uses, see Drug (disambiguation). ... Heroin bottle An addiction is a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individuals health, mental state or social life. ...

Many people assume this position when sleeping, especially when the body becomes cold. For other uses, see Sleep (disambiguation). ...