The effect of delivery route on outcome in breech presentation

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of choice of birth route on infant outcome in fetal breech presentation. The study group excluded infants who were footling breeches and infants with major congenital anomalies. The mothers were in labor with the fetal heartbeat present at entry into the labor room. Outcome variables were intrapartum and neonatal deaths and neonatal neurological morbidity. Delivery route was not significantly associated with neonatal death in the 500 to 999 gm (p = 0.43) and 1,000 to 2,499 gm (p = 0.43) categories. Over 2,500 gm, there were no neonatal deaths. In similar manner, delivery route was not significantly associated with neonatal neurological morbidity. In both neonatal death and morbidity, birth weight and modified Dubowitz score explained the largest proportion of the variance for outcome in breech presentation.