[The optimal caesarean section rate in breech deliveries (author's transl)]

A critical review of 535 breech deliveries over 15 years is presented and compared to the present trend to deliver all primigravida breech presentations by Caesarean Section. Management of the labour and delivery in view of a vaginal delivery was started in 84% of the cases. The Caesarean Section rate was 16%. The prenatal mortality compared well to that reported in the literature. The relatively high total morbidity of 3.2% showed the increased risk for the infant of the primigravida (1.9%) and of the multigravida (1.7%). 1.5% of the infants were transferred to the pediatric department because of birth trauma. All children with birth trauma were delivered prior to the increase of the Caesarean Section rate from 9.2% to 21.2%. Since 1969 the fetal morbidity was 0% for breech deliveries.