Biomaterial Database

External cephalic version for breech presentation at term. 2012

G Justus Hofmeyr, and Regina Kulier

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East London Hospital Complex, University of the Witwatersrand, University of FortHare, Eastern Cape Department of Health, East London, South Africa. justhof@gmail.com.

BACKGROUND Management of breech presentation is controversial, particularly in regard to manipulation of the position of the fetus by external cephalic version (ECV). ECV may reduce the number of breech presentations and caesarean sections, but there also have been reports of complications with the procedure. OBJECTIVE The objective of this review was to assess the effects of ECV at or near term on measures of pregnancy outcome. Methods of facilitating ECV, and ECV before term are reviewed separately. METHODS We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Trials Register (7 August 2012). METHODS Randomised trials of ECV at or near term (with or without tocolysis) compared with no attempt at ECV in women with breech presentation. METHODS Two review authors assessed eligibility and trial quality, and extracted the data. RESULTS We included seven studies. The pooled data from these studies show a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in non-cephalic birth (seven trials, 1245 women; risk ratio (RR) 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31 to 0.66; and caesarean section (seven trials, 1245 women; RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.90) when ECV was attempted. There were no significant differences in the incidence of Apgar score ratings below seven at one minute (two trials, 108 women; RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.89) or five minutes (four trials, 368 women; RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.32 to 1.77), low umbilical artery pH levels (one trial, 52 women; RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.17 to 2.44), neonatal admission (one trial, 52 women; RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.24), perinatal death (six trials, 1053 women; RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.05 to 2.12), nor time from enrolment to delivery (2 trials, 256 women; weighted mean difference -0.25 days, 95% CI -2.81 to 2.31). CONCLUSIONS Attempting cephalic version at term reduces the chance of non-cephalic births and caesarean section. There is not enough evidence from randomised trials to assess complications of external cephalic version at term. Large observational studies suggest that complications are rare.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011256	Pregnancy Outcome	Results of conception and ensuing pregnancy, including LIVE BIRTH; STILLBIRTH; or SPONTANEOUS ABORTION. The outcome may follow natural or artificial insemination or any of the various ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUES, such as EMBRYO TRANSFER or FERTILIZATION IN VITRO.	Outcome, Pregnancy,Outcomes, Pregnancy,Pregnancy Outcomes
D001946	Breech Presentation	A malpresentation of the FETUS at near term or during OBSTETRIC LABOR with the fetal cephalic pole in the fundus of the UTERUS. There are three types of breech: the complete breech with flexed hips and knees; the incomplete breech with one or both hips partially or fully extended; the frank breech with flexed hips and extended knees.	Fetal Presentation, Breech,Labor Presentation, Breech,Presentation, Breech,Complete Breech,Frank Breech Presentation,Incomplete Breech,Breech Fetal Presentation,Breech Labor Presentation,Breech Presentation, Frank,Breech, Complete,Breech, Incomplete,Presentation, Breech Fetal,Presentation, Breech Labor,Presentation, Frank Breech
D002585	Cesarean Section	Extraction of the FETUS by means of abdominal HYSTEROTOMY.	Abdominal Delivery,Delivery, Abdominal,C-Section (OB),Caesarean Section,Postcesarean Section,Abdominal Deliveries,C Section (OB),C-Sections (OB),Caesarean Sections,Cesarean Sections,Deliveries, Abdominal
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014710	Version, Fetal	The artificial alteration of the fetal position to facilitate birth.	External Cephalic Version,Fetal Version,Version, External Cephalic,Cephalic Version, External,Cephalic Versions, External,External Cephalic Versions,Fetal Versions,Versions, External Cephalic,Versions, Fetal
D016032	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table.	Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical
D047929	Term Birth	CHILDBIRTH at the end of a normal duration of PREGNANCY, between 37 to 40 weeks of gestation or about 280 days from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period.	Birth of Full-Term Infant,Birth of Full-Term Newborn,Fullterm Birth,Birth of Full Term Infant,Birth of Full Term Newborn,Birth, Fullterm,Birth, Term,Births, Fullterm,Full-Term Infant Births,Fullterm Births,Term Births