An en caul birth is a rare event where a baby is born still inside an intact amniotic sac. The sac balloons out at birth, with the child remaining inside of the unbroken or partially broken membrane. Typically, when a woman goes into labor, her amniotic sac bursts (her water breaks). However, sometimes the sac doesnt burst, causing the baby to be born en caul - completely inside a jelly-like bubble. This is something that happens by chance, and there is no guarantee that it will happen, and it is not necessarily better or worse than a standard birth.

It is important to note that an en caul birth is not the same as a caul birth. A caul birth happens when a small piece of the membrane or sac covers the head or face, and the doctor or midwife can quickly peel it off or snip it in the right place to remove it. In contrast, an en caul birth is when the baby is entirely encased in the sac.

En caul and caul births are linked to superstition, and many famous people are said to have been born with a caul. If a baby is born en caul, the doctor will carefully and gently start to snip away at the sac to open it, and water will begin to leak out of the sac, kind of like a water-filled balloon with a hole in it.

In summary, an en caul birth is a rare event where a baby is born still inside an intact amniotic sac, and it is not necessarily better or worse than a standard birth.