Acupuncture conversion of fetal breech presentation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the value of acupuncture (AP) in the conversion of fetal breech presentation into vertex presentation.


METHODS
A randomized prospective controlled clinical study included 67 pregnant women with fetal breech presentation: 34 women with singleton pregnancies treated with manual AP (urinary bladder 67, Zhiyin) and a control group which included 33 women with singleton pregnancies without AP treatment. The AP treatment lasted 30 min a day, and was conducted during and after 34 weeks of pregnancy with simultaneous cardiotocography.


RESULTS
The success rate of the AP correction of fetal breech presentation is 76.4% (26 women), and spontaneous conversion without AP in vertex presentation is observed in 15 women (45.4%; p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We believe that AP correction of fetal malpresentation is a relatively simple, efficacious and inexpensive method associated with a lower percentage of operatively completed deliveries, which definitely reflects in improved parameters of vital and perinatal statistics.
Habek
Dubravko
D
Clinical Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Hospital Osijek, Osijek, Croatia. dubravko.habek@bj.hinet.hr
Cerkez Habek
Jasna
J
Jagust
Mirjana
M
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001946:Breech Presentation; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies