The clininal management of breech presentation

During the period 1969--1973, a total of 7933 deliveries was carried out at the First University Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Vienna. Of these, 328 deliveries were breech presentations and 260 were single-born. The frequency of Caesarean sections in the case of breech presentations was 16,6%, i.e. about four times higher than the average frequency of Caesarean sections in relation to the overall number of obstetric patients of our clinic. The high frequency of premature deliveries in breech presentation (18,46%) is reflected in the perinatal mortality rate; 5,67% of all children born in breech position died sub or post partum. The net perinatal mortality rate was 1,15%.