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Complications of external cephalic version: a retrospective analysis of 1121 patients at a tertiary hospital in Sydney
Author(s) -
Rodgers R,
Beik N,
Nassar N,
Brito I,
Vries B
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/1471-0528.14169
Subject(s) - medicine , fetal distress , placental abruption , external cephalic version , caesarean section , obstetrics , cardiotocography , breech presentation , retrospective cohort study , complication , incidence (geometry) , pregnancy , pediatrics , fetus , surgery , genetics , physics , optics , biology
Objective To report the complication rate associated with external cephalic version ( ECV ) at term. Design Single‐centre retrospective study. Setting A major tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia. Population or Sample All women who underwent an ECV at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital from 1995–2013 were included. Methods ECV was attempted on all consenting women with a breech presentation at term in the absence of contraindications. Complications were classified as minor (transient cardiotocography abnormalities, ruptured membranes, small antepartum haemorrhage) or serious (fetal death, placental abruption, fetal distress requiring emergency caesarean section, fetal bone injury, cord prolapse). ECV success rates and rate of reversion to breech were recorded. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the incidence of serious complications. Secondary outcome measures were the rate of minor complications and reversion to breech. Results Of 1121 patients that underwent ECV , five (0.45%) experienced a serious complication. There was one placental abruption, one emergency caesarean section for fetal distress and two cord prolapses. There was one fetal death attributable to a successful ECV . Forty‐eight women (4.28%) experienced a minor complication. Reversion to the breech occurred in sixteen patients (3.32%). Conclusion ECV at term is associated with a low rate of serious complications. Tweetable abstract Study of 1121 consecutive ECV attempts shows low rate of complications although one fetal death reported.