The Cost Implications in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia of Early Versus Delayed External Cephalic Version in the Early External Cephalic Version 2 (EECV2) Trial.

OBJECTIVE: According to the Early External Cephalic Version (EECV2) Trial, planning external cephalic version (ECV) early in pregnancy results in fewer breech presentations at delivery compared with delayed external cephalic version. A Cochrane review conducted after the EECV2 Trial identified an increase in preterm birth associated with early ECV. We examined whether a policy of routine early ECV (i.e., before 37 weeks' gestation) is more or less costly than a policy of delayed ECV. METHODS: We undertook this analysis from the perspective of a third-party payer (Ministry of Health). We applied data, using resources reported in the EECV2 Trial, to the Canadian context using 10 hospital unit costs and 17 physician service/procedure unit costs. The data were derived from the provincial health insurance plan schedule of medical benefits in three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia). The difference in mean total costs between study groups was tested for each province separately. RESULTS: We found that planning early ECV results in higher costs than planning delayed ECV. The mean costs of all physician services/procedures and hospital units for planned ECV compared with delayed ECV were $7997.32 versus $7263.04 in Ontario (P < 0.001), $8162.82 versus $7410.55 in Alberta (P < 0.001), and $8178.92 versus $7417.04 in British Columbia (P < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of overall cost, our analyses do not support a policy of routinely planning ECV before 37 weeks' gestation.

Neuraxial blockade for external cephalic version: Cost analysis.

AIM: Neuraxial blockade (epidural or spinal anesthesia/analgesia) with external cephalic version increases the external cephalic version success rate. Hospitals and insurers may affect access to neuraxial blockade for external cephalic version, but the costs to these institutions remain largely unstudied. The objective of this study was to perform a cost analysis of neuraxial blockade use during external cephalic version from hospital and insurance payer perspectives. Secondarily, we estimated the effect of neuraxial blockade on cesarean delivery rates. METHODS: A decision-analysis model was developed using costs and probabilities occurring prenatally through the delivery hospital admission. Model inputs were derived from the literature, national databases, and local supply costs. Univariate and bivariate sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations were performed to assess model robustness. RESULTS: Neuraxial blockade was cost saving to both hospitals ($30 per delivery) and insurers ($539 per delivery) using baseline estimates. From both perspectives, however, the model was sensitive to multiple variables. Monte Carlo simulation indicated neuraxial blockade to be more costly in approximately 50% of scenarios. The model demonstrated that routine use of neuraxial blockade during external cephalic version, compared to no neuraxial blockade, prevented 17 cesarean deliveries for every 100 external cephalic versions attempted. CONCLUSIONS: Neuraxial blockade is associated with minimal hospital and insurer cost changes in the setting of external cephalic version, while reducing the cesarean delivery rate.

Cost effectiveness of using moxibustion to correct non-vertex presentation.

AIMS: To analyse the cost effectiveness of using the moxibustion technique to correct non-vertex presentation and to reduce the number of caesarean sections performed at term. METHOD: A deterministic model of decision analysis has been developed to analyse the cost of treatment in which heat is applied by moxibustion (the combustion of Artemisia vulgaris) at acupuncture point BL67 for pregnant women with non-vertex fetal position at 33-35 weeks' gestation. This approach was compared with conventional treatment recommendations based on the knee-chest posture technique. The costs were obtained mainly from data provided by the Andalusian Public Health System. Effectiveness data for the baseline analysis were taken from a previous clinical study. A secondary analysis was performed based on a meta-analysis conducted using random effects analysis, by reference to studies published in recent systematic reviews of moxibustion versus conventional treatment, in order to make the results generalisable to other healthcare settings. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed under diverse assumptions to assess the uncertainty of the result. RESULTS: The baseline analysis shows that the application of moxibustion prevents 8.92% of deliveries with non-vertex presentation compared with conventional treatment, with an average cost saving of €107.11 per delivery, mainly due to the cost saving from avoiding the need for caesarean section. The meta-analysis revealed a relative risk of the version of non-vertex presentation at term of 0.34 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.76). The sensitivity analysis showed that moxibustion can avoid 0.34 caesarean sections, with an incremental cost per delivery ranging from €68 to -€640 for moxibustion versus conventional treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion treatment applied at acupuncture point BL67 can avoid the need for caesarean section and achieve cost savings for the healthcare system in comparison with conventional treatment.

Brief report: a cost analysis of neuraxial anesthesia to facilitate external cephalic version for breech fetal presentation.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we sought to determine whether neuraxial anesthesia to facilitate external cephalic version (ECV) increased delivery costs for breech fetal presentation. METHODS: Using a computer cost model, which considers possible outcomes and probability uncertainties at the same time, we estimated total expected delivery costs for breech presentation managed by a trial of ECV with and without neuraxial anesthesia. RESULTS: From published studies, the average probability of successful ECV with neuraxial anesthesia was 60% (with individual studies ranging from 44% to 87%) compared with 38% (with individual studies ranging from 31% to 58%) without neuraxial anesthesia. The mean expected total delivery costs, including the cost of attempting/performing ECV with anesthesia, equaled $8931 (2.5th-97.5th percentile prediction interval $8541-$9252). The cost was $9207 (2.5th-97.5th percentile prediction interval $8896-$9419) if ECV was attempted/performed without anesthesia. The expected mean incremental difference between the total cost of delivery that includes ECV with anesthesia and ECV without anesthesia was $-276 (2.5th-97.5th percentile prediction interval $-720 to $112). CONCLUSION: The total cost of delivery in women with breech presentation may be decreased (up to $720) or increased (up to $112) if ECV is attempted/performed with neuraxial anesthesia compared with ECV without neuraxial anesthesia. Increased ECV success with neuraxial anesthesia and the subsequent reduction in breech cesarean delivery rate offset the costs of providing anesthesia to facilitate ECV.