[The term breech trial: the rise and fall of a randomized controlled trial--a critical survey]

Abstract

Six years after publication of the results of the first international randomized controlled trial with the main question which mode of delivery is the best for term breech babies, there are increasing concerns about the validity of the study data concluding caesarean delivery was safer for breech babies. In January 2006 published article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology the data of the study has been analysed again. The author comes to the conclusion that because of mistakes in the study design the results are unreliable and that the study group should withdraw the recommendations. Furthermore in his article he quotes from the study and emphasizes the mistakes.