The management of breech presentation at term.
Three to four percent of singleton pregnancies at term are complicated by breech presentation. The management options are to offer external cephalic version, to perform planned caesarean section or to aim for vaginal birth. There has been an increasing reluctance, in many centres, to allow vaginal birth. The publication of the Term Breech Trial will almost certainly accelerate this trend. For many, the choice now lies between external cephalic version and elective caesarean section. Perhaps the focus should now be on increasing the rate of offering external cephalic version, increasing its uptake and also its success.
Young
P F
PF
Academic Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, North Staffordshire Maternity Hospital, Newecastle Road, Stoke on Trent, Staffs ST4 6OG, UK. peter.young@nstaffsh.wmids.nhs.uk
Johanson
R B
RB
D001946:Breech Presentation; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014219:Trial of Labor; D014710:Version, Fetal