Vaginal delivery or cesarean section at term breech delivery – chance or risk?

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to examine maternal age, parity, and estimated neonatal birth weight (BW) depending on the mode of a full-term breech presentation (BP) birth delivery and neonatal outcomes.

Material and methods: One hundred and forty-six singleton term breech presentation pregnancies were included in a retrospective study conducted at the Department of Gynecology/Obstetrics, Clinical Center of Serbia in Belgrade in 2013. Statistical analysis: Student's-t test, χ² likelihood ratio, and the Fisher's exact test. The level of statistical significance was set at p <0.05.

Results: An ECS was the most common mode of delivery in (81.2%) nulliparous older than 35 years and most of the neonates (66.67%) with an estimated birth weight (BW) above 3500 grams were delivered by elective cesarean section (ECS). Perinatal asphyxia remained increased in the successful vaginal delivery (SVD) group (23.8%) compared with the urgent CS (UCS) group (13.3%) (p = 0.035). Birth asphyxia was the most common in neonates were delivered by SVD (23.8%). There were no cases of perinatal deaths.

Conclusion: ECS remained the recommended mode of breech term delivery in nulliparous women older than 35 years, as well as in neonates with an estimated BW above 3500 grams.

• Cesarean section
• neonatal outcome
• term breech delivery
• vaginal delivery

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.