[Breech Presentation: CNGOF Guidelines for Clinical Practice - External Cephalic Version and other Interventions to...

To provide guidelines regarding efficiency and safety of external cephalic version (ECV) attempt and alternatives methods to turn breech babies to cephalic presentation.

MedLine and Cochrane Library databases search in French and English and review of the main foreign guidelines between 1980 and 2019.

ECV is associated with a decreasing rate of breech presentation at birth (LE2), and potentially with a lower rate of cesarean section (LE3) without an increase of severe maternal (LE3) and perinatal morbidity (LE3). It is therefore recommended to inform women with a breech presentation at term that ECV should be attempt (Professional consensus). ECV attempt should be performed with immediate access to an operating room for emergency cesarean (Professional consensus). The ECV attempt before 37 weeks, compared to ECV attempt after 37 weeks, increases the rate of cephalic presentation at birth (LE2) but with a small increase risk of moderate prematurity (LE2). ECV attempt should be performed from 36SA (Professional consensus). The main factors associated with successful ECV attempt are multiparity (LE3) and no maternal obesity (LE3). Parenteral tocolysis (β mimetic or atosiban), for ECV attempt at term is associated with a higher success rate (LE2), higher rate of achieved cephalic presentation in labor (LE2) and a lower cesarean section rate (LE2). It is recommended to use parenteral tocolysis for ECV attempt at term in order to increase its success rate (grade B). The ECV attempt is associated with an increase in transient FHR abnormalities (LE3), it is therefore recommended that cardiotocography should be performed prior and during 30minutes after the procedure (Professional consensus). There is no argument for recommending the practice of delayed cardiotocography after ECV attempt (Professional consensus). The risk of significant positivity (>30mL) of the Kleihauer test after ECV attempt is low (<0.1%) (LE3), it is not recommended to systematically perform a Kleihauer test after ECV attempt (professional consensus). In case of RH-1 negative women, it is recommended to ensure systematic RH-1 prophylaxis (Professional consensus). In case of breech presentation at term, acupuncture, moxibustion and postural methods are not effective in reducing breech presentation at birth (LE2), and are therefore not recommended (Grade B).

According to the clear benefits and the low risks of ECV attempt, all women with a breech presentation at term should be informed that ECV should be attempted to decrease breech presentation at birth and cesarean section.