[Water aerobics as a means for the prenatal correction in the case of breech presentation of the fetus].

BACKGROUND: The delivery of the fetus in breech presentation remains one of the most serious challenge for obstetricians. In the cases of pregnancy of more than 29 weeks, it is recommended to carry out the activities aimed at translating breech presentation into cephalic presentation by means of the external preventive rotation of the fetus to the head with the use various complexes of gymnastic exercises as well as other methods applied for the correction of the abnormal fetal presentation including water aerobics.

AIM: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the method for the prenatal correction of the pathological presentation of the fetus based on the use of the water aerobics procedures.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 100 women at the age from 21 to 38 years presenting with the purely gluteal presentation of the fetus in 83 cases, the transverse presentation in 14 cases, the footling presentation in 2 cases, and the slanting presentation in 1 one case. To prepare women for the childbirth at the direction of the attending doctor and under the guidance of an instructor a complex of water aerobics exercises was employed.

RESULTS: The successful prenatal correction of fetal presentation with the use of water aerobics exercises was achieved in 83 cases. In these women, pregnancy ended in the delivery through the natural birth canal. In 17 cases, antenatal correction proved inefficient which was regarded as the indication for the planned operation of cesarean section. Fetal turnaround occurred after 2-3 sessions of water aerobics in 66.3% of the women, with the gestational age at the time of the version being 32-33 weeks in 81.9% of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS: Our experience of the work with pregnant women gives evidence of the high effectiveness of corrective water aerobics and allows to recommend the performance of external cephalic version with the use of this physiotherapeutic procedure for the application in the clinical practice.