Children with amyoplasia often suffer from internally rotated shoulders, extended elbows, ulnar flexed wrists. The type of displacement of the hips and knees is more variable, and they often have club feet. Most children have symmetrical limb involvement.

About 10% of children with amyoplasia have evidence of vascular compromise including Intestinal atresia, abdominal wall defects, and gastroschisis.

It is the most common form of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), where multiple joint contractures are present at birth. Arthrogryposis is derived from the Greek word meaning "with crooking of joints." It occurs in about one out of every 3,000 live births. There are more than 150 types of AMC. Amyoplasia accounts for 40% of AMC cases.

Often, every joint in a patient with arthrogryposis is affected; in 84% all limbs are involved, in 11% only the legs, and in 4% only the arms are involved. Every joint in the body, when affected, displays typical signs and symptoms: for example, the shoulder (internal rotation); wrist (volar and ulnar); hand (fingers in fixed flexion and thumb in palm); hip (flexed, abducted and externally rotated, frequently dislocated); elbow (extension and pronation) and foot (clubfoot). Range of motion can be different between joints because of the different deviations. Some types of arthrogryposis like amyoplasia have a symmetrical joint/limb involvement, with normal sensations. The contractures in the joints can result in delayed walking development in the first 5 years, but severity of contractures do not necessarily predict eventual walking ability or inability.

Intelligence is normal to above normal in children with amyoplasia, but it is not known how many of these children have an above normal intelligence, and there is no literature available about the cause of this syndrome. There are a few syndromes like the Freeman-Sheldon and Gordon syndrome, which have craniofacial involvement. The amyoplasia form of arthrogryposis is sometimes accompanied with a midline facial hemangioma.

Arthrogryposis is not a diagnosis but a clinical finding, so this disease is often accompanied with other syndromes or diseases. These other diagnoses could affect any organ in a patient. There are a few slightly more common diagnoses such as pulmonary hypoplasia, cryptorchidism, congenital heart defects, tracheoesophageal fistulas, inguinal hernias, cleft palate, and eye abnormalities.

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenital (AMC), or simply arthrogryposes, describes congenital joint contracture in two or more areas of the body. It derives its name from Greek, literally meaning "curving of joints" (', "joint"; ', late Latin form of late Greek "", "hooking"). Children born with one or more joint contractures have abnormal fibrosis of the muscle tissue causing muscle shortening, and therefore are unable to perform active extension and flexion in the affected joint or joints. AMC has been divided into three groups: amyoplasia, distal arthrogryposis, and syndromic. Amyoplasia is characterized by severe joint contractures and muscle weakness. Distal arthrogryposis mainly involves the hands and feet. Types of arthrogryposis with a primary neurological or muscle disease belong to the syndromic group.

A breech birth occurs when a baby is born bottom first instead of head first. Around 3-5% of pregnant women at term (37–40 weeks pregnant) will have a breech baby.

Most babies in the breech position are born by a caesarean section because it is seen as safer than being born vaginally.

As most breech babies are delivered by caesarean section in developed countries, doctors and midwives may lose the skills required to safely assist women giving birth to a breech baby vaginally. Delivering all breech babies by caesarean section in developing countries may be very difficult to implement or even impossible as there are not always resources available to provide this service.

Types of breech depend on how the baby’s legs are lying.

- A frank breech (otherwise known as an extended breech) is where the baby’s legs are up next to its abdomen, with its knees straight and its feet next to its ears. This is the most common type of breech.

- A complete breech (flexed) breech is when the baby appears as though it is sitting crossed-legged with its legs bent at the hips and knees.

- A footling breech is when one or both of the baby’s feet are born first instead of the pelvis. This is more common in babies born prematurely or before their due date.

In addition to the above, breech births in which the sacrum is the fetal denominator can be classified by the position of a fetus. Thus sacro-anterior, sacro-transverse and sacro-posterior positions all exist, but left sacro-anterior is the most common presentation. Sacro-anterior indicates an easier delivery compared to other forms.