Cord blood acid-base status at delivery after successful external cephalic version.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to evaluate whether cord blood acidosis is more likely in infants born after successful external cephalic version.


METHODS
This retrospective cohort study included 89 singleton deliveries with successful version performed over a 2-year period. Their cord blood acid-base parameters were compared to 89 pregnancies with spontaneous cephalic presentation (control group).


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between the version and control groups in birthweight and Apgar scores. There was no difference between the version and control groups in cord arterial pH (7.26 vs. 7.26), arterial pCO(2) (7.04 vs. 7.09 kPa), arterial pO(2) (2.34 vs. 2.59 kPa), arterial base excess (-5.59 vs. -5.64 mmol/L), venous pH (7.32 vs. 7.33), venous pCO(2) (5.73 vs. 5.63 kPa), venous pO(2) (3.86 vs. 3.84 kPa), or venous base excess (-5.03 vs. -5.12 mmol/L). There was also no significant difference in the number of fetuses with cord arterial pH <7.20 between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Neonates delivered after successful external cephalic version are not more likely to be born with acidosis. Our study provides further support for the safety of external cephalic version for term breech pregnancies.
Chan
Louis Yik-Si
LY
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. lyschan@cuhk.edu.hk
Leung
Tak Yeung
TY
Fok
Wing Yee
WY
Chan
Lin Wai
LW
Lau
Tze Kin
TK
D000138:Acidosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001946:Breech Presentation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008499:Medical Records; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014710:Version, Fetal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*