title: Face presentation at term: a forgotten issue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine factors associated with face presentation of term fetuses delivered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 34,480 consecutive, term deliveries of uncomplicated pregnancies within a 3-year period, all live, singleton term fetuses with cephalic presentation in which no lethal anomalies occurred that were diagnosed with a face presentation were studied. Factors that may have contributed to the etiology of the presentation including age, parity and fetal size were evaluated. Ultrasonographic evaluation was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty cases were diagnosed with an incidence of 0.14%. Parity was not associated with face presentation. Birthweight of 4000 g or more indicated an increased risk of approximately 2.9-fold, whereas fetuses weighing 3000-3499 g were found to have a relatively decreased risk of face presentation when compared with the general obstetrics group (P = 0.015 and 0.001, risk ratio = 2.948 and 0.450, respectively). With physical examination, only 70% were diagnosed correctly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Face presentation is a rare event and birthweight more than 4000 g was found to be associated with face presentation. Parity is not an associated factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Tapisiz
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aytan
authors.forename: Sadiman Kiykac
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Altinbas
authors.forename: Feyza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arman
authors.forename: Gorkem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuncay
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Besli
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mollamahmutoglu
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Danışman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007746:Labor Presentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D047929:Term Birth; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: birthweight; face presentation; parity; term pregnancy