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Outcome for the Very Low Birth‐weight (500–1,499g) Singleton Breech: Benefit of Caesarean Section
Author(s) -
Doyle Lex W.,
Rickards Anne L.,
Ford Geoffrey W.,
Pepperell Roger J.,
Kitchen William
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1985.tb00740.x
Subject(s) - caesarean section , medicine , breech presentation , singleton , obstetrics , low birth weight , birth weight , pregnancy , pediatrics , biology , genetics
Summary: Between January 1, 1977 and March 31, 1982, 84 of 131 (64.1%) consecutive liveborn very low birth‐weight (VLBW) singletons delivered after breech presentation were discharged home alive. Of babies delivered by Caesarean section 40 of 47 (85.1%) survived, versus 44 of 84 (52.4%) delivered vaginally (X 2 =12.6, p < 0.0005). When differences in birthweight and antenatal steroid therapy were adjusted by multiple regression analysis, after excluding a lethally malformed baby who was diagnosed antenatally and babies who were not treated aggressively because they were thought to be too immature (n = 19), those delivered by Caesarean section were still more likely to survive (p = 0.038). In survivors completely assessed at 2 years of corrected age, there was a statistically significant association between Caesarean section and reduced handicap (p = 0.019). For the VLBW singleton breech, there is good evidence that delivery by Caesarean section is beneficial.