Prediction of Success in External Cephalic Version under Tocolysis: Still a Challenge.

INTRODUCTION: External cephalic version is a procedure of fetal rotation to a cephalic presentation through manoeuvres applied to the maternal abdomen. There are several prognostic factors described in literature for external cephalic version success and prediction scores have been proposed, but their true implication in clinical practice is controversial. We aim to identify possible factors that could contribute to the success of an external cephalic version attempt in our population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined 207 consecutive external cephalic version attempts under tocolysis conducted between January 1997 and July 2012. We consulted the department's database for the following variables: race, age, parity, maternal body mass index, gestational age, estimated fetal weight, breech category, placental location and amniotic fluid index. We performed descriptive and analytical statistics for each variable and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: External cephalic version was successful in 46.9% of cases (97/207). None of the included variables was associated with the outcome of external cephalic version attempts after adjustment for confounding factors. DISCUSSION: We present a success rate similar to what has been previously described in literature. However, in contrast to previous authors, we could not associate any of the analysed variables with success of the external cephalic version attempt. We believe this discrepancy is partly related to the type of statistical analysis performed. CONCLUSIONS: Even though there are numerous prognostic factors identified for the success in external cephalic version, care must be taken when counselling and selecting patients for this procedure. The data obtained suggests that external cephalic version should continue being offered to all eligible patients regardless of prognostic factors for success.

Introdução: A versão cefálica externa é o procedimento de rotação fetal para uma apresentação cefálica através de manobras sobre o abdómen materno. Encontram-se descritos na literatura vários factores prognósticos para o sucesso da versão cefálica externa e foram propostos scores preditores, mas a sua verdadeira implicação para a prática clínica é controversa. Pretendemos identificar possíveis factores contributivos para o sucesso de uma tentativa de versão cefálica externa na nossa população. Material e Métodos: Examinámos retrospectivamente 207 tentativas consecutivas de versão cefálica externa sob tocólise conduzidas entre Janeiro de 1997 e Julho de 2012. Consultámos a base de dados do departamento para as seguintes variáveis: raça, idade, paridade, índice de massa corporal, idade gestacional, peso fetal estimado, categoria de apresentação, localização placentária e índice de líquido amniótico. Efectuámos avaliação estatística descritiva e analítica monovariada e regressão binária logística. Resultados: A versão cefálica externa foi bem-sucedida em 46,9% dos casos (97/207). Nenhuma das variáveis incluídas se associou com o desfecho da tentativa após ajuste para factores de confundimento.Discussão: Apresentamos uma taxa de sucesso semelhante ao descrito na literatura. No entanto, ao contrário de estudos anteriores, não associámos nenhuma das variáveis analisadas com o sucesso das tentativas de versão cefálica externa. Acreditamos que esta discrepância poderá ser parcialmente explicada pelo tipo de análise estatística efectuada. Conclusões: Apesar de terem sido identificados numerosos factores de prognóstico para o seu sucesso, o aconselhamento e selecção de grávidas para versão cefálica externa deverão ser cautelosos. Os dados obtidos sugerem que a versão cefálica externa deverá continuar a ser oferecida a todas as grávidas elegíveis independentemente de factores prognósticos de sucesso.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in premature rupture of membranes at term: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prophylactic antibiotic administration in women presenting with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term can alter the rates of maternal and neonatal infections. METHODS: In a randomized, controlled, nonblinded trial, women at low risk with singleton term pregnancies presenting with PROM were assigned to either antibiotic administration or no treatment. Main outcomes evaluated were rates of maternal infection (chorioamnionitis and endometritis) and neonatal infection. RESULTS: A total of 161 patients were evaluated, 78 in the antibiotic group and 83 in the control group. Maternal infection was significantly lower when antibiotics were administered (2.6% compared with 13.2%; relative risk 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.81-0.98; P=.013). All cases of maternal infection occurred in women with more than 12 hours of PROM. Newborns of mothers receiving antibiotics had fewer infections (3.8%) compared with those in the control group (6.0%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=.375). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic use of antibiotics in PROM at term significantly reduced the risk of maternal infection in our population. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01633294. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.