Comparison of Emergency and Elective Cesarean Sections in the Breech Presentation: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to compare the characteristics and outcomes between the patients who underwent emergency or elective cesarean section (CS) with the indication of breech presentation (BP).

Method: All the patients who underwent cesarean delivery with the indication of BP between January 2016-December 2018 were included in this retrospective study. BP Patients with any other indication for CS were excluded from the study. Group I; consisting of patients with BP who underwent emergency CS due to progression of cervical dilation and/or effacement, pain or membrane rupture, presence of = 3 contractions at regular intervals over 25 mmHg within 10 minutes, and Group II; consisting of term pregnant patients without any additional problem who underwent elective CS following 38. gestational weeks between 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM were compared statistically. Also, subgroups were compared according to BP subtypes and cervical opening measurements.

Results: APGAR scores at the 1st / 5th minutes and postoperative hemoglobin values were significantly lower in the emergency CS group than the elective CS group. Also we found that the decreases in hemoglobin values before and after the cesarean section, and APGAR scores at 1., and 5. min, were significantly higher, the operation time was significantly longer in the emergency CS group. Also, the median value of the week of emergency cesarean section was 37 gestational weeks, and we found that when the cervical dilation was 2 cm and above before operation, the drop in hemoglobin value, need for blood transfusion and neonatal intensive care increased significantly. No significant difference was found between BP subtypes.

Conclusion: Postoperative parameters may tend to be unfavourable in patients with BP who underwent emergency CS due to pain or progression of cervical dilation. Therefore, clinicians who prefer cesarean delivery in patients with BP, should be very cautious against possible emergency operation until the time of the elective operation and also avoid iatrogenic preterm labor.