Does overweight and obesity have an impact on delivery mode and peripartum outcome in breech presentation? A FRABAT cohort study.

PURPOSE: Obesity is a worldwide and growing issue affecting women in childbearing age, complicating surgical procedures as well as pregnancy. Through a reduction of not necessarily required cesarean deliveries-for instance in pregnancies with breech presentation-obesity mediated and surgery-associated morbidity might be contained. Date on the impact of maternal BMI in vaginally attempted breech delivery is not existing. To give insight into whether an elevated BMI leads to an increased perinatal morbidity in vaginally intended deliveries out of breech presentation, we analyzed delivery outcome of laboring women with a singleton baby in breech presentation with overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) in comparison to women with a BMI of below 25 kg/m2. METHODS: Based on data from January 2004 to December 2020, a cohort study was performed on 1641 women presenting with breech presentation at term (> 37 weeks). The influence of maternal BMI on perinatal outcome was analyzed with Chi2 testing for group differences and logistic regression analysis. Patients with a hyperglycemic metabolism were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Fetal morbidity was not different when patients with a BMI of ≥ 25 kg/m2 (PREMODA morbidity score 2.16%) were compared to patients with a BMI of below 25 kg/m2 (1.97%, p = 0.821). Cesarean delivery rates were significantly higher in overweight and obese women with 43.9% compared to 29.3% (p < 0.0001). BMI and cesarean delivery were significantly associated in a logistic regression analysis (Chi2 coefficient 18.05, p < 0.0001). In successful vaginal deliveries out of breech presentation, maternal perineal injury rates (vaginal birth in normal-BMI women 48.4%; vaginal birth in overweight and obese women: 44.2%; p = 0.273) and rates of manually assisted delivery (vaginal birth in normal-BMI women: 44.4%; vaginal birth in obese and overweight women: 44.2%; p = 0.958) were not different between BMI groups. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and overweight are not associated with peripartum maternal or newborn morbidity in vaginally attempted breech delivery, if the patient cohort is thoroughly selected and vaginal breech delivery is in an upright maternal position. Reduction of cesarean delivery rates, especially in overweight and obese women might, have an important positive impact on maternal and newborn morbidity.

The influence of epidural anesthesia in pregnancies with scheduled vaginal breech delivery at term: a hospital-based retrospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Epidural anesthesia is a well-established procedure in obstetrics for pain relief in labor and has been well researched as it comes to cephalic presentation. However, in vaginal intended breech delivery less research has addressed the influence of epidural anesthesia. The Greentop guideline on breech delivery states that there's little evidence and recommends further evaluation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes in vaginally intended breech deliveries at term with and without an epidural anesthesia. DESIGN: This study was a retrospective cohort study. SAMPLE: This study included 2122 women at term with a singleton breech pregnancy from 37 + 0 weeks of pregnancy on and a birth weight of at least 2500 g at the obstetric department of University hospital Frankfurt from January 2007 to December 2018. METHODS: Neonatal and maternal outcome was analyzed and compared between women receiving "walking" epidural anesthesia and women without an epidural anesthesia. RESULTS: Fetal morbidity, measured with a modified PREMODA score, showed no significant difference between deliveries with (2.96%) or without (1.79%; p = 0.168) an epidural anesthesia. Cesarean delivery rates were significantly higher in deliveries with an epidural (35 vs. 26.2%, p = 0.0003), but after exclusion of multiparous women, cesarean delivery rates were not significantly different (40.2% cesarean deliveries with an epidural vs. 41.5%, p = 0.717). As compared to no epidurals, epidural anesthesia in vaginal delivery was associated with a significantly higher rate of manual assistance (33.8 versus 52.1%) and a longer duration of birth (223.7 ± 194 versus 516.2 ± 310 min) (both p < 0.0001)". CONCLUSION: Epidural anesthesia can be offered as a safe option for pain relief without increasing neonatal or maternal morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, it is associated with a longer birth duration and manually assisted delivery.

Combined Assessment of the Obstetrical Conjugate and Fetal Birth Weight Predicts Birth Mode Outcome in Vaginally Intended Breech Deliveries of Primiparous Women-A Frabat Study.

(1) Background: Guidelines on vaginal breech delivery require birth weight restrictions and neglect the impact of pelvic measurements despite contradicting evidence. There is a great need for more evidence on delivery outcome predicting factors for patients counselling. (2) Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study on 748 primiparous women intending vaginal breech birth and analyzed combined influence of fetal birth weight (BW) and the obstetric conjugate (conjugate vera obstetrica, CVO) on delivery outcome. (3) Results: We generated a BW/CVO ratio and devided our study cohort at median (257.8 g/cm) into a low ratio group (LR, with low birth weight and wide obstetric conjugate) and a high ratio group (HR, high birth weight and narrow obstetric conjugate). Cesarean section (CS) rate was significantly higher in HR (50.3%) as compared to LR (28.3%, p < 0.0001). Fetal morbidity was not different. In vaginally completed deliveries duration of birth was significantly longer in vHR (557 min) as in vLR (414 min, p < 0.001). Manual assistance to deliver the arms ('Louwen maneuver') positively correlated with birth weight (r2 = 0.215; p = 0.005) and the BW/CVO ratio (r2 = 0.0147; p = 0.02). (4) Conclusions: A high fetal birth weight combined with a tiny CVO predicts higher cesarean section probability, longer birth duration and the necessity to perform arm delivery assistance. Birth weight and pelvic measurements should be topics of great importance in patients counselling.

Differences in Biometric Fetal Weight Estimation Accuracy and Doppler Examination Results in Uncomplicated Term Singleton Pregnancies between Vertex and Breech Presentation.

Doppler examination of the umbilical artery and the fetal middle cerebral artery is evaluated predominantly in pregnancies with fetuses in cephalic presentation and never has been elucidated in breech presentation. Evidence on the accuracy of fetal weight estimation in dependence of the fetal presentation is controversial. Nevertheless, clinical decisions including recommendations for a cesarean section or labor induction based on these examinations are applied to pregnancies with fetuses in breech presentation. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the fetal presentation on fetal weight estimation accuracy, umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery resistance indices (RI) in a prospective case control study. Ultrasound examinations in 305 uncomplicated term pregnancies (153 vertex presentations, 152 breech) were investigated. Non-parametric variables were compared using Pearson's chi2 test and Wilcoxon chi2 test, depending on variable scaling. Fetal weight estimation accuracy was not significantly different between vertex presentation group (VP) (6.97%) and breech presentation group (BP) (7.96%, p = 0.099). Fetal head circumference measurements were significantly larger in BP (350 mm vs. 341 mm in VB, p > 0.0001) while abdominal circumferences were significantly smaller (VP: 338 mm, BP: 331 mm, p = 0.0039) and weight estimation was not significantly different. Umbilical artery RIs were not significantly different between VP (54.5) and BP (55.3, p = 0.354). Fetal middle cerebral artery RIs also showed no significant differences (VP: 71.2, BP: 70.7, p = 0.335). Our study shows that fetal Doppler (RI) and weight estimation ultrasound originally calibrated in cephalic pregnancies are applicable to pregnancies with fetuses in breech presentation.

Learning Breech Birth in an Upright Position Is Influenced by Preexisting Experience-A FRABAT Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Vaginal breech delivery is becoming an extinct art although national guidelines underline its safety and vaginal breech delivery in an upright position has been shown to be a safe birth mode option. In order to spread clinical knowledge and be able to implement vaginal breech delivery into obstetricians' daily practice, we need to gather knowledge from facilities who teach specialized obstetrical management. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study on 140 vaginal deliveries out of breech presentation solely-managed by seven newly-trained physicians and compared fetal outcome as well as rates of manual assistance in respect to preexisting experience. RESULTS: Fetal morbidity rate measured with a modified PREMODA score was not significantly different in three sub-cohorts sorted by preexisting expertise levels of managing obstetricians (experience groups EG, EG0: 2, 5%; EG1: 3, 7.5%; EG2: 1, 1.7%; p = 0.357). Manual assistance rate was significantly higher in EG1 (low experience level in breech delivery and only in dorsal position) compared to EG0 and EG2 (EG1 28, 70%; EG0: 14, 25%; EG2: 21, 35%; p = 0.0008). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that vaginal breech delivery with newly-trained obstetricians is a safe option whether or not they have advanced preexisting expertise in breech delivery. These data should encourage implementing vaginal breech delivery in clinical routine.