Publication:

A prospective observational study of breech pregnancy in a tertiary care centre

Background Breech presentation is the commonest of all mal presentations. Vaginal delivery of breech presentation at term is associated with a much higher perinatal mortality and morbidity than that of vertex presentation.

Methods This prospective study was carried out in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, S. S. G. Hospital, Baroda for a period of six months from 1st May 2019 to 31st October 2019. Out of a total number of 4476 deliveries, 159 were breech pregnancy. It included all the women admitted in labour room or ward who delivered with clinical or ultrasound diagnosis of breech presentation after 20 weeks of gestation.

Results In the present study incidence of breech pregnancy was 3.6%. Authors observed the highest incidence of breech pregnancy in the age group of 20 to 25 years. Maximum (62.9%) cases delivered after 37 weeks of gestation. In our study 62.3% cases were primigravida and 37.7% were multigravida. Majority of cases (77.4%) delivered by caesarean section. Among all the babies born 50.6% were having birth weight of less than 2.5 kg.

Conclusions Authors need to study and analyse all cases of breech pregnancy individually to decide the management and mode of delivery depending on cases to case basis and expertise of the staff available. Delivery of breech foetus should be conducted by experience obstetrician after appropriate consent from pregnant women and her relatives.