[Analysis of 290 breech presentations]

By analysing all breech presentations handled in the last three years (290 cases), the authors have found that perinatal mortality in such cases was much higher (8%) than the general perinatal mortality (1.8%) in the last years and that this increase mainly related to the perinatal mortality of children weighing less than 2500 g, owing to complications and diseases typical of that kind of children. Out of the children delivered with breech presentation, 40% were either premature babies (22%) or small-for-date babies (18%). The condition of children delivered with breech presentation is 5-6 times worse than in premature babies delivered with full or partial extraction. The authors could not establish if the condition of children with cesarean section was better. The results were obtained when the delivery was induced by using the maniotomy and Syntocinon. The authors point out that the problem of breech presentation lies in prematurity, that an excessive application of cesarean section does not solve the problem, that extractions should be avoided, and that all such deliveries should be managed on the principle of active management of labour.