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Updated: Jan 8, 2026
External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?
Published on: June 6, 2020
Predictive factors for a successful external cephalic version: an observational study of four years' experience in
Jiao Yi1, Zhiguo Tang2, Xianxia Chen1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal and Child Medicine Center affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Hefei Maternal and Child health care Hospital, Hefei, China.
Background:
To identify predictive factors affecting the outcome of external cephalic version (ECV).
Materials And Methods:
The retrospective study included 222 women with singleton gestations who underwent ECV for breech presentation and transverse lie between February 2019 and July 2024. Based on the outcome of ECV, the participants were divided into two groups (successful ECV group and unsuccessful ECV group). Data included patient characteristics and pregnancy parameters were analyzed. The primary outcome was the success of ECV. In order to determine the predictive factors of ECV success, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis. The adjusted odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence interval were calculated, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the highest discriminatory capacity of variables for the ECV success.
Results:
The overall ECV success rate was 62.6%. No differences between adverse neonatal outcomes were found between the two groups. After adjusting for variables including maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gravidity, parity, gestational age at ECV, fetal weight of previous pregnancy, breech type, transverse, nuchal cord, placental location, anesthesia, amniotic fluid index, duration of procedure, interval of ECV-to-delivery, and fetal weight, multivariate logistic regression analysis found that amniotic fluid index and gestational age at ECV had a positive relation with the success of ECV; Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, the optimal cutoff value of amniotic fluid index was 144 mm, the sensitivity was 83.5%, and the specificity was 85.5%. A cutoff value of gestational age at ECV of 37 + 5 weeks yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 83.5% and 85.5%, respectively, for successful ECV.
Conclusions:
ECV seems to be a successful, safe procedure with a high success rate. Amniotic fluid index and gestational age at ECV are the most important discriminatory indicators predictive of ECV success or failure.
