Breech presentation - maternal and neonatal outcomes and obstetric challenges

Abstract

Introduction/Objective. Breech presentation occurs in 3–4% singleton pregnancies at term and its management is still a controversial in obstetric practice. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that indicate breech delivery management and to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes in vaginal breech delivery, planned Cesarean section (C-section) and emergency C-section at the Hospital for Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Zemun Clinical Hospital Centre. Methods. This was a retrospective study conducted from 2015 to 2019. Depending on the mode of delivery, patients were divided in three group. In this study, we have analyzed maternal risk factors and postpartum complications, delivery details and neonatal characteristics and outcomes. Results. The study included 176 women with singleton fetus in breech presentation. The incidence of breech deliveries was 2.12%. Most common way of delivery was vaginal with 47.72%. In all three groups, the majority of women were primiparous, at term, mostly without chronical and gestational diseases. Vaginal delivery was stimulated with oxytocin in 91.67%, and as a help for delivery various maneuvers were used. Maternal mortality and short-term complications during hospitalization period were reported in none of the groups. No significant difference in newborns birth weight between the groups was observed. The highest rate of birth injuries was in newborns from emergency C-section – 10%. Conclusion. The results of our study have shown that vaginal delivery could be a very safe option for both mother and newborn.

Keywords

• breech presentation
• vaginal delivery
• cesarean section