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Updated: May 8, 2026
08:49
External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?
Published on: June 6, 2020
Anesthetic management of external cephalic version.
Laurie A Chalifoux1, John T Sullivan
1Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, 251 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. l-chalifoux@md.northwestern.edu
Clinics in Perinatology
|August 27, 2013
Summary
External cephalic version can reduce breech presentation at term, potentially avoiding cesarean delivery. Neuraxial anesthesia combined with uterine relaxants increases success rates for this noninvasive procedure.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Breech presentation at term is a common obstetric complication.
- Cesarean delivery is often required, increasing maternal morbidity.
- External cephalic version (ECV) offers a noninvasive alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of ECV in reducing breech presentation.
- To assess the impact of neuraxial anesthesia on ECV success rates.
- To determine the cost-effectiveness of ECV.
Main Methods:
- Review of ECV procedures for term breech presentation.
- Analysis of success rates with and without neuraxial anesthesia.
- Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing ECV to cesarean delivery.
Main Results:
- External cephalic version is a viable noninvasive method to reduce term breech presentations.
- Neuraxial anesthesia, alongside uterine relaxants, significantly increases ECV success rates.
- The intervention is likely cost-effective due to reduced cesarean delivery rates.
Conclusions:
- ECV is an effective strategy to prevent cesarean delivery for term breech presentation.
- Neuraxial anesthesia enhances ECV success, offering a safer alternative.
- Implementing ECV can lead to significant cost savings in obstetric care.
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