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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?
Published on: June 6, 2020
[Less neonatal morbidity with elective caesarean sections at term: local guideline for elective caesarean section is
Helen L Tanger1, Anemone van den Berg, Antoinette C Bolte
1VU Medisch Centrum, Afd. Kindergeneeskunde, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Objective:
To assess the effect of a local guideline advising elective caesarean section without maternal comorbidity at a gestational age of >or= 39+0 weeks.
Design:
Retrospective cohort study.
Methods:
Children born by elective caesarean section in the period 2003-2007 at the VUmc with a gestational age >or= 37+0 weeks and without maternal comorbidity were included. Respiratory complications, length of hospital stay, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), respiratory support and medication were recorded from charts of admitted children. These data were compared with data collected in 1994-1998 before implementation of the local guideline.
Results:
In 2003-2007, 501 children were born from 486 elective caesarean sections. In 1994-1998, 333 children were born from 324 elective caesarean sections. In 2003-2007, mean maternal age was younger, local anaesthesia more frequent, elective caesarean section was more often performed at >or= 39+0 weeks (p < 0.001) and the birth weight was higher. In 2003-2007, fewer infants were admitted to an NICU than in 1994-1998 (6/501 versus 17/333, p < 0.001), of whom fewer infants were born with gestational age
Conclusion:
Implementation of the guideline reduced elective caesarean sections before a gestational age of 39+0 weeks and consequently reduced neonatal respiratory morbidity.
