Preterm Breech Presentation: A Comparison of Intended Vaginal and Intended Cesarean Delivery

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of the intended mode of delivery and perinatal morbidity and mortality among breech fetuses who are delivered preterm.

METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cohort study of women with a singleton pregnancy in breech presentation who delivered preterm (26 0/7-36 6/7 weeks of gestation) in the years 2000-2011. We compared perinatal outcomes according to the intended and actual mode of delivery using multivariate logistic regression analysis. We performed subgroup analyses of gestational age and parity.

RESULTS: We studied 8,356 women with a preterm singleton breech delivery. Intended cesarean delivery (n=1,935) was not associated with a significant reduction in perinatal mortality compared with intended vaginal delivery (n=6,421) (1.3% compared with 1.5%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60-1.57). However, the composite of perinatal mortality and morbidity was significantly reduced in the intended cesarean delivery group (8.7% compared with 10.4%; adjusted OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.93). In the subgroup of women delivering at 28-32 weeks of gestation, intended cesarean delivery was associated with a 1.7% risk of perinatal mortality compared with 4.1% with intended vaginal delivery (adjusted OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.77) and significantly reduced composite mortality and severe morbidity, 5.9% compared with 10.1% (adjusted OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.20-0.68).

CONCLUSION: In women delivering a preterm breech fetus, cesarean delivery is associated with reduced perinatal mortality and morbidity.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.