Dillema about the method of delivery for the fetus in breech presentation

• Published in: Acta medica Croatica Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 177 - 184
• Main Authors: Vasilj, Oliver, Matijević, Ratko, Grgić, Ozren
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Croatian
• Published: Croatia 01-04-2007
• Subjects: Breech Presentation - therapy; Cesarean Section; Delivery, Obstetric - methods; Female; Humans; Pregnancy
• ISSN: 1330-0164

The management of preterm and term delivery of fetus in breech presentation is one of the most disputable issues in modern obstetric practice. Several years ago, one of the biggest randomized controlled studies in obstetrics, Term Breech Trial (TBT), tried to set up guidelines and resolve the question of the best method to deliver the fetus at term in breech presentation. The results of this study have shown that the policy of planned cesarean section reduces the risk of short-term adverse perinatal outcome, compared with the policy of planned vaginal birth. Many perinatal centers have accepted the recommendations from this study and different obstetric associations have implemented these results in their guidelines. On the other hand, TBT had some limitations, especially those connected with the impossibility of regular and objective comparison of these two methods of delivery. In addition, the same group of authors did not find differences in long-term outcomes between the planned cesarean section and vaginal delivery. Although the rate of planned cesarean section has increased following the publication of TBT, selective vaginal breech delivery is still very successfully used in the centers where doctors have the possibility to obtain experience in vaginal breech deliveries. The most common method of reduce the noncephalic presentation is external cephalic version at term. It reduces the incidence of noncephalic presentations at labor, thus reducing the number of cesarean sections as well. At this moment, there is not enough evidence to support cesarean section as the method of choice for delivery of preterm and term breech, having in mind obstetric indications and criteria. The decision whether to deliver vaginally or by cesarean section should be individual for each pregnant woman.