Breech presentation: a retrospective analysis of 12-years' experience at a single center.

Objective: To investigate neonatal outcome after breech presentation in term pregnancies.

Methods: Data from 1345 term breech deliveries over a 12-year study period were retrospectively reviewed. Neonatal morbidity and mortality were compared by route of delivery.

Results: We investigated 1345 term breech deliveries. A total of 1041 patients (77.4%) attempted a vaginal delivery; of these, 808 (60.1%) were delivered vaginally and 233 patients (17.3%) who failed at vaginal birth underwent cesarean section. The other 304 women (22.6%) were delivered by a planned cesarean section. No statistical differences were found in the incidence of low 5-minute Apgar scores and arterial cord blood pH values

Conclusions: The increased risk of birth trauma and admission to a neonatal intensive care unit after vaginal delivery emphasizes the advantages of a planned cesarean section for a breech presentation.