Tocolysis in term breech external cephalic version.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of ritodrine tocolysis on the success of external cephalic version (ECV) and to assess the role of ECV in breech presentation at our centre. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind-controlled trial comparing ritodrine and placebo in ECV of singleton term breech pregnancy at a tertiary hospital. RESULTS: Among the 60 patients who were recruited, there was a success rate of 36.7%. Ritodrine tocolysis significantly improved the success rate of ECV (50% vs. 23%; P=0.032). There was a marked effect of ritodrine tocolysis on the ECV success in nulliparae (36.4% vs. 13.0%) and multiparae (87.5% vs. 57.1%). External cephalic version has shown to reduce the rate of cesarean section for breech presentation by 33.5% in our unit. CONCLUSION: External cephalic version significantly reduced the rate of cesarean section in breech presentation, and ritodrine tocolysis improved the success of ECV and should be offered to both nulliparous and parous women in the case of term breech presentation.     

Cesarean delivery after successful external cephalic version of breech presentation at term: a comparative study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate and indications of cesarean delivery after a successful external cephalic version. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study was performed from patients who were delivered in a tertiary care center between 1987 and 2000. Each patient who underwent a successful external cephalic version (study group) was compared with the next woman with the same parity, who was delivered at term (control group). Nulliparous and multiparous women were analyzed separately. Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney, and Student t tests were used for statistical analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed where appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 602 patients were included in this study. The rates of cesarean delivery in nulliparous women (29.8% vs 15.9%; P<.001) and in multiparous women (15.9% vs 4.7%; P<.001) were significantly higher when compared with the control group. Patients with successful external cephalic version were more likely to have a cesarean delivery for dystocia (nulliparous, 22.5% vs 11.9%; P=.01; multiparous, 10.9% vs 1.3%; P<.01). After an adjustment for confounding variables, a successful external cephalic version was associated with an increased rate of cesarean delivery at term (nulliparous: odds ratio, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.13-3.68; multiparous: odds ratio, 4.30; 95% CI, 1.76-10.54). CONCLUSION: The rate of cesarean delivery for dystocia is increased after a successful trial of external cephalic version in both nulliparous and multiparous women.     

Route of delivery following successful external cephalic version

Objective

To evaluate the delivery route and the indications for cesarean delivery after successful external cephalic version (ECV).

Methods

A retrospective matched case–control study was conducted at a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, between 2002 and 2012. Each woman who underwent successful ECV (n = 44) was compared with the previous and next women who presented for labor management and who had the same parity and a singleton vertex pregnancy at term (n = 88). The outcome measures were route of delivery, indications for cesarean delivery, and incidence of nonreassuring fetal status.

Results

Attempts at ECV were successful in 62 (46%) of 134 women, and 44 women whose fetuses remained in a cephalic presentation until delivery were included in the study. The rates of intrapartum cesarean delivery and operative vaginal delivery did not differ significantly between cases and controls (intrapartum cesarean delivery, 9 [20%] vs 16 [18%], P = 0.75; operative vaginal delivery, 14 [32%] vs 19 [22%], P = 0.20). The indications for cesarean delivery after successful ECV did not differ; in both groups, cesarean delivery was mainly performed for labor arrest disorders (cases, 6 [67%] vs controls, 13 [81%]; P = 0.63).

Conclusion

Successful ECV was not associated with increased rates of intrapartum cesarean delivery or operative vaginal delivery.     

单胎臀位外倒转术的影响因素分析

目的探讨影响单胎臀位外倒转术成功率的相关因素。 方法对2015年11月至2016年4月就诊于广州医科大学附属第三医院妇产科进行外倒转术的20例单胎孕妇的临床资料进行回顾性分析,患者均为单胎妊娠,孕龄在35～38周之间,不合并绝对剖宫产指征,均愿接受行外倒转术。分析影响外倒转术成功率的相关因素,统计学采用χ²检验。 结果20例外倒转术有14例(70%)完成倒转,其中12例(60%)倒转成功并经阴道分娩。比较单臀位和复合臀位[7/9例与7/11例],初产妇及经产妇[5/8例与9/12例]、胎盘位于前壁、后壁和宫底[5/8例,6/8例与3/4例]、妊娠足月与否[4/6例与10/14例]、羊水量正常与否[12/17例与2/3例]、脐带绕颈与否[2/4例与12/16例]的外倒转成功率,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。胎儿窘迫、胎盘早剥和早产的发生率分别为10.0%(2/20)例、5.0%(1/20)例和2/14例。 结论外倒转术能较为安全有效将臀位转为头位,适用于足月或近足月妊娠,可达到降低剖宫产率的目的。     

Intravenous salbutamol for external cephalic version

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success of external cephalic version (ECV) using an adjusted bolus dose of intravenous salbutamol compared with no tocolysis. METHODS: An open-label randomized study of 114 women with a term breech fetus randomized to receive either an intravenous bolus dose of 0.1 mg salbutamol with further boluses every 5 minutes, as required, before commencing ECV, or no tocolysis. Primary outcomes were successful ECV and rate of cesarean delivery. RESULTS: Salbutamol tocolysis resulted in a higher rate of successful ECV compared with no tocolysis (70.2% [40/57] vs 36.8% [21/57]; RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.8; P<0.001). Cesarean delivery rate was lower in the salbutamol group compared with the control group (31.6% [18/57] vs 63.2% [36/57]; RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8; P=0.001). Salbutamol dose ranged from 0.1-0.4 mg and outcome was not related to dose. CONCLUSION: Adjusted dose intravenous salbutamol tocolysis prior to ECV increases its success rate and reduces the cesarean delivery rate.     

Factors affecting the success of moxibustion in the management of a breech presentation as a preliminary treatment to external cephalic version

Objectives

to explore the effects of moxibustion treatment, to examine the predictors of its use in causing a breech presentation to spontaneously turn to a cephalic presentation which will result in a vaginal birth (the paper will refer to this as ‘successful’) and offer external cephalic version (ECV) subsequently after moxibustion treatment when the fetus remains in a breech presentation.

Design

a prospective study over a two-year time period from February 2004 until January 2006.

Participants

76 pregnant women from various acupuncture practices in the UK, with a third trimester breech presentation.

Interventions

the acupuncturist taught the women how to apply moxibustion (sticks of compressed dried herbs—Artemisia vulgaris) treatment at home by stimulating the acupoint on the outer edge at the base of the little toe nail for seven days twice a day (morning and afternoon). If the breech presentation persisted after treatment, ECV was carried out towards the end of the pregnancy. The obstetricians offered this during the routine antenatal hospital visits.

Findings

the results show that following treatment with moxibustion, 31 (40.8%) of the breech presentations spontaneously turned to cephalic presentations, and a further 33 (43.4%) breech presentations were turned by ECV. Women who involved other people in the administration of moxibustion were twice as likely to be successful. Multiparous women were also 16% more likely than primiparous women to succeed in achieving a spontaneous version with the use of moxibustion. Fewer side effects reported when using moxibustion were the strongest predictor of successful spontaneous cephalic version with an odds ratio of 12% (p=0.02).

Key conclusions

moxibustion creates a better chance of vaginal birth for expectant mothers. Of the women who were successful in turning their babies using moxibustion, 88% went on to have a normal birth and 12% had a caesarean section. Moxibustion treatment also significantly increases version from a breech presentation to a cephalic presentation where there are fewer side effects reported, if the woman is multiparous and has support during the administration of moxibustion treatment.

Implications for practice

moxibustion treatment should be offered to all women with a breech presentation because it is non-invasive and can be self-administered by the woman. It is therefore a simple, cost-effective technique that requires no medical intervention.     

Safety and efficacy of external cephalic version for women with a previous cesarean delivery

Objective

To evaluate the success and morbidity rates for attempted external cephalic version (ECV) in patients with one previous cesarean delivery (CD) and a breech-presenting fetus at term.

Study design

This is a retrospective study of outcomes of ECV at our institution for all women with one previous CD and a breech-presenting fetus at term between January 1997 and June 2005. A literature review was also performed as a Medline search (1966–2006).

Results

ECV was attempted for 42 women with a breech-presenting fetus and previous CD. The success rate of ECV was 74.0%, and 84% of women with successful ECV delivered vaginally. All fetal and maternal outcomes were favorable. Only four Medline reports met our inclusion criteria, representing a total of 124 patients and a mean ECV success rate of 76.6%. Thus we assessed 166 cases of attempted ECV and find an average ECV success rate of 76.5% and favorable fetal and maternal outcomes.

Conclusions

Women with a breech-presenting fetus at term and previous CD, who desire a trial of labor, should be counseled regarding the accumulating evidence about the efficacy and apparently safety of this procedure and may be offered an ECV attempt.     

Patients' and professionals' barriers and facilitators to external cephalic version for breech presentation at term,a qualitative analysis in the Netherlands

Objectiveexternal cephalic version (ECV) is a relatively simple and safe manoeuvre and a proven effective approach in the reduction of breech presentation at term. There is professional consensus that ECV should be offered to all women with a fetus in breech presentation, but only up to 70% of women eligible for ECV undergo an ECV attempt. The aim of the study was to identify barriers and facilitators for ECV among professionals and women with a breech presentation at term.Designqualitative study with semi-structured interviews.SettingDutch hospitals.Participantspregnant women with a breech presentation who had decided on ECV, and midwives and gynaecologists treating women with a breech presentation.Measurementson the basis of national guidelines and expert opinions, we developed topic lists to guide the interviews and discuss barriers and facilitators in order to decide on ECV (pregnant women) or advice on ECV (midwives and gynaecologists).Findingsamong pregnant women the main barriers were fear, the preference to have a planned caesarean section (CS), incomplete information and having witnessed birth complications within the family or among friends. The main facilitators were the wish for a home birth, the wish for a vaginal delivery and confidence of the safety of ECV. Among professionals the main barriers were a lack of knowledge to fully inform and counsel patients on ECV, and the inability to counsel women who preferred a primary CS. The main facilitator was an unambiguous policy on (counselling for) ECV within the region.Conclusionwe identified several barriers and facilitators possibly explaining the suboptimal implementation of ECV for breech presentation in the Netherlands.This knowledge should be taken into account in designing implementation strategies for ECV to improve the uptake of ECV by professionals and patients.     

Randomized comparison of intravenous nitroglycerin and subcutaneous terbutaline for external cephalic version under tocolysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous nitroglycerin with that of subcutaneous terbutaline as a tocolytic agent for external cephalic version at term. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a prospective randomized trial. Patients between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation were assigned randomly to receive either 200 microg of intravenous nitroglycerin therapy or 0.25 mg of subcutaneous terbutaline therapy for tocolysis during external cephalic version. The rate of successful external cephalic version and side effects were compared between groups. RESULTS: Of 59 randomly assigned patients, 30 patients received intravenous nitroglycerin, and 29 patients received subcutaneous terbutaline. The overall success rate of external cephalic version in the study was 39%. The rate of successful external cephalic version was significantly higher in the terbutaline group (55% vs 23%; P = .01). The incidence of palpitations was significantly higher in patients who received terbutaline therapy (17.2% vs 0%; P = .02), as was the mean maternal heart rate at multiple time periods. CONCLUSION: Compared with intravenous nitroglycerin, subcutaneous terbutaline was associated with a significantly higher rate of successful external cephalic version at term.     

Nifedipine versus terbutaline for tocolysis in external cephalic version

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of nifedipine compared with terbutaline as a tocolytic agent in external cephalic version (ECV). METHODS: A prospective, randomized, comparative trial was carried out in a tertiary hospital. Women with singleton term breech pregnancies were randomized for nifedipine (group A) and terbutaline (group B) tocolysis for ECV in an outpatient setting. The efficacy, side effects, and complications were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: A total of 86 women were recruited with 43 women in each group. The overall success rate was 48.8% and this reduced the rate of cesarean delivery for breech presentation by 32.5% in our center. ECV was successful in 39.5% of women in group A and 58.1% in group B. Fewer side effects were experienced by the women in group A compared with group B, although this was not significant. CONCLUSION: Nifedipine can be used as an alternative for tocolysis in ECV when there are maternal contraindications to beta-sympathomimetics.     

Labor induction just after external cephalic version with epidural analgesia at term

Objective

To analyze the benefits of external cephalic version (ECV) with epidural analgesia at term and labor induction just after the procedure.

Mode of childbirth and neonatal outcome after external cephalic version: A prospective cohort study

Objectiveto assess the mode of childbirth and adverse neonatal outcomes in women with a breech presentation with or without an external cephalic version attempt, and to compare the mode of childbirth among women with successful ECV to women with a spontaneous cephalic presentation.Designprospective matched cohort study.Setting25 clusters (hospitals and its referring midwifery practices) in the Netherlands. Data of the Netherlands perinatal registry for the matched cohort.Participantssingleton pregnancies from January 2011 to August 2012 with a fetus in breech presentation and a childbirth from 36 weeks gestation onwards. Spontaneous cephalic presentations (selected from national registry 2009 and 2010) were matched in a 2:1 ratio to cephalic presentations after a successful version attempt. Matching criteria were maternal age, parity, gestational age at childbirth and fetal gender. Main outcomes were mode of childbirth and neonatal outcomes.Measurements and findingsof 1613 women eligible for external cephalic version, 1169 (72.5%) received an ECV attempt. The overall caesarean childbirth rate was significantly lower compared to women who did not receive a version attempt (57% versus 87%; RR 0.66 (0.62–0.70)). Women with a cephalic presentation after ECV compared to women with a spontaneous cephalic presentation had a decreased risk for instrumental vaginal childbirth (RR 0.52 (95% CI 0.29–0.94)) and an increased risk of overall caesarean childbirth (RR 1.7 (95%CI 1.2–2.5)).Key conclusionswomen who had a successful ECV are at increased risk for a caesarean childbirth but overall, ECV is an important tool to reduce the caesarean rate.Implication for practiceECV is an important tool to reduce the caesarean section rates.     

A prospective study of the factors associated with the success rate of external cephalic version for breech presentation at term

Objective

To determine the factors associated with the success rate of external cephalic version (ECV) for breech presentation at term.

Methods

A prospective analysis of 500 ECV maneuvers. The variables maternal age, maternal weight, body mass index, previous cesarean delivery, gestational age, parity, amount of amniotic fluid, placental location, and type of breech were studied using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The success rate of ECV was 52.2% (n = 261). The variables significantly associated with success were parity, placental location, amount of amniotic fluid, and type of breech (P < 0.05). A parity of 2 had a 3.74-times higher probability of success than nulliparity (95% CI, 2.37-5.90); a posterior placenta increased the success rate by 2.85 times compared with an anterior placenta (95% CI, 1.87-4.36); and double footling breech presentation had a 2.77-times higher success rate compared with a frank breech presentation (95% CI, 1.16-6.62). The area under the ROC curve showed a predictive ability of 73.6% (95% CI, 69.2%-77.9%) for these 3 variables.

Conclusion

Parity, placental location, amount of amniotic fluid, and type of breech presentation were associated with the success rate of ECV.     

Amnioinfusion for women with a singleton breech presentation and a previous failed external cephalic version: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose: Our trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of amnioinfusion for a second attempt at external cephalic version (ECV).

Material and methods: This open randomized controlled trial was planned with a sequential design. Women at a term ≥36 weeks of gestation with a singleton fetus in breech presentation and a first unsuccessful ECV were recruited in two level-3 maternity units. They were randomly allocated to transabdominal amnioinfusion with a 500-mL saline solution under ultrasound surveillance or no amnioinfusion before the second ECV attempt. Trained senior obstetricians performed all procedures. The primary outcome was the cephalic presentation rate at delivery. Analyses were conducted according to intention to treat (NCT00465712).

Result: Recruitment difficulties led to stopping the trial after a 57-month period, 119 women were randomized: 59 allocated to amnioinfusion?+?ECV and 60 to ECV only. Data were analyzed without applying the sequential feature of the design. The rate of cephalic presentation at delivery did not differ significantly according to whether the second version attempt was or was not preceded by amnioinfusion (20 versus 12%, p?=?.20). Premature rupture of the membranes occurred for 15% of the women in the amnioinfusion group.

Conclusion: Amnioinfusion before a second attempt to external version does not significantly increase the rate of cephalic presentation at delivery.     

Prognostic parameters for successful external cephalic version

Objective. To improve patient consultation before external cephalic version (ECV) attempt at term by defining prognostic parameters for the success of the procedure.

Methods. This was a prospective observational study set in a university teaching hospital. We prospectively collected demographic and obstetric data from 603 ECV attempts at our center for the period between January 1997 and June 2005. Analysis was performed by stepwise logistic regression of the demographic and obstetric parameters. The main outcome measure was success of ECV attempt.

Results. Success rates were 72.3% and 46.1% for multiparas and nulliparas, respectively. Prognostic parameters associated with successful ECV were amniotic fluid index > 7 cm, multiparity, non-frank breech, non-anterior placental location, and body mass index < 25.

Conclusion. Prognostic parameters, particularly amniotic fluid index and multiparity, can help physicians in counseling parturients before deciding on ECV.     

Anesthesia facilitation of external cephalic version: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to systematically review the medical literature to determine whether anesthesia facilitates the external cephalic version maneuver (ECV) for breech presentations.Study design A meta-analytic review of medical databases for randomized clinical trials comparing anesthesia with no anesthesia given for ECV attempts. The primary outcome was the immediate success of the ECV attempt. RESULTS: The literature search revealed only 4 articles that met inclusion criteria. Four hundred eighty women participated in the studies and the use of anesthesia increased the success of ECV attempts (119/238 with anesthesia; 82/242 without anesthesia). The relative risk for this beneficial effect was 1.5 (95% CI 1.12-1.98) and number needed to treat was 7 (95% CI 4-14). CONCLUSION: Further study is required to assess maternal and neonatal safety with anesthesia administered for ECV maneuvers.