The relation of breech presentation at term to epilepsy in childhood.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relation between breech at term and epilepsy in childhood, and identify risk factors for epilepsy in term breech infants.


METHODS
Register-based study of all (n = 7514) singleton term infants without malformations, born between 1980 and 1994 and hospitalised with epilepsy until year 1996. For each case delivered in breech presentation (n = 290), the two subsequent deliveries of non-malformed, singleton infants delivered in breech presentation at term at the same hospital were selected as controls (n = 580).


RESULTS
Breech presentation was a risk factor for epilepsy (OR: 1.2 [95% CI: 1.1, 1.3]). Breech infants with epilepsy were more often small for gestational age (9.7%) than breech infants without epilepsy (4.7%). Vaginal delivery was associated with low Apgar score, but mode of delivery and low Apgar score were not related to epilepsy.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased risk of epilepsy in term breech infants is not related to intrapartum events, but to growth restriction in pregnancy.
Krebs
Lone
L
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 537, University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegaard Alle 30, DK-2650 Hvidovre, Denmark. lone.krebs@dadlnet.dk
Langhoff-Roos
Jens
J
D001724:Birth Weight; D001946:Breech Presentation / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors