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Related Experiment Videos

External cephalic version for breech presentation before term.

E K Hutton1, G J Hofmeyr

  • 1University of British Columbia, Department of Family Practice, Division of Midwifery, B-54 - 2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3. eileen.hutton@ubc.ca

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|January 27, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Initiating external cephalic version (ECV) before 37 weeks gestation for breech presentation can reduce non-cephalic births. Starting ECV between 34-35 weeks may also decrease cesarean sections, though more research is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Clinical Trials Research

Background:

  • External cephalic version (ECV) is used to convert breech presentations to cephalic before term.
  • While effective at term, ECV success rates can be low.
  • This review investigates the efficacy of initiating ECV before 37 weeks gestation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of initiating ECV before 37 weeks gestation for breech presentation.
  • To assess impacts on fetal presentation at birth, delivery method, and perinatal outcomes.
  • To determine if early ECV initiation influences preterm birth, morbidity, stillbirth, or neonatal mortality.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
  • Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to April 2005.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Included trials comparing ECV initiated before term versus control groups for breech presentation.

    • Main Results:

    • One study showed no difference in non-cephalic presentation when ECV was completed before 37 weeks.
    • Another study demonstrated a reduced rate of non-cephalic presentation with ECV initiated at 33 weeks and repeated until delivery.
    • A third study suggested potential decreases in non-cephalic presentation and cesarean sections when ECV began between 34-35 weeks, though not statistically significant.

    Conclusions:

    • ECV initiated before term is associated with fewer non-cephalic births compared to no ECV attempt.
    • Early initiation of ECV (34-35 weeks) may offer benefits in reducing non-cephalic presentations and cesarean sections.
    • Further research is required to confirm these findings and assess potential risks like preterm birth or adverse perinatal outcomes. A large trial is ongoing.