External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?

Summary

This article shows how to perform the external cephalic version (ECV) by two experienced obstetricians in the obstetric operating room in the presence of an anesthesiologist and a midwife. The ECV is carried out with analgesia and tocolysis. Two attempts are made under ultrasonography control.

Abstract

External cephalic version (ECV) is an effective procedure for reducing the number of cesarean sections. To date, there is no video publication showing the methodology of this procedure. The main objective is to show how to perform ECV with a specific protocol with tocolysis before the procedure and analgesia. Moreover, we describe and analyze the factors associated with successful ECV, and also compare to deliveries in the general pregnant population.

A retrospective and descriptive analysis of ECV carried out at the Hospital Clinico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca in Murcia (Spain) between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2018 was assessed. The latest data available of labor deliveries in the local center, which is the biggest maternity department in Spain, were from 2018.

320 patients were recruited and 3 pregnant women were lost during the study. ECV was carried out at 37±3 weeks gestation. ECV was successful in 82.5% (N=264). 19 complications were reported (5.9%): 8 vaginal bleeding (2.5%), 9 fetal bradycardia (2.8%), 1 preterm rupture of membranes (0.3%) and 1 cord prolapse (0.3%). A previous vaginal delivery increases the success rate of ECV OR_adjusted=3.03 (1.62-5.68). Maternal Body Mass Index (BMI) affects the success of ECV OR_adjusted=0.94 (0.89-0.99). Patients with BMI>40 kg/m² have an OR_adjusted=0.09 (0.009-0.89) compared with those with BMI <25 kg/m². If ECV was successful, the cesarean delivery index is 22.2% (17.5-27.6%), the eutocic delivery index is 52.1% (46.1-58.1%) and the instrumented vaginal delivery index is 25.7% (20.7-31.2%). There are no differences in cesarean and eutocic delivery indexes after successful ECV. However, a successful ECV is associated with a 6.29% increase in the instrumented delivery rate (OR=1.63).

ECV is an effective procedure to reduce the number of cesarean sections for breech presentations. Maternal BMI and previous vaginal delivery are associated with ECV success. Successful ECV does not modify the usual delivery pattern.

Introduction

External cephalic version (ECV) is a procedure for modifying the fetal position and achieving a cephalic presentation. The objective of the ECV is to offer an opportunity for cephalic delivery to occur, which is widely known to be safer than breech or cesarean section. ECV is usually performed before the active labor period begins. Factors associated with a higher ECV success rate include^1,4: multiparity, a transverse presentation, black race, posterior placenta, amniotic fluid index higher than 10 cm.

However, ECV is not an innocuous procedure and may present⁷

Protocol

This study was approved by the Clinic Research Committee of the "Virgen de la Arrixaca" at the University Clinical Hospital. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

1. Offer external cephalic version at consult (36 weeks)

1. Identify the fetal position with an ultrasound.
   1. Apply ultrasound gel on the patient’s abdomen.
   2. Place the abdominal probe on the hypogastric region.
   3. Identify the fetal position.
.......

Discussion

This article shows the procedure to carry out the ECV. The ECV procedure success rate in this study is 82.5% (78.1-86.4%), which is higher than the success rate found in international literature 49.0% (47-50.9%)^1,2,3,4 or Spanish literature 53.49% (42.9-64.0%)^5,6,7. This difference may be due to the us.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Avalon FM20 Fetal monitor	Koninklijke Philips N.V		https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/product/HC862198/avalon-fm20-fetal-monitor
Convex Array Probe 4C-RS	General Electric Health Care Company
Aquasonic® 100 Ultrasound Transmission Gel	Parker Laboratories, INC		https://www.parkerlabs.com/aquasonic-100.asp
Propofol Lipuro (10 mg/mL Inject 20 mL)	B. Braun Medical, SA
Ritodrine Pre-par (10 mg/mL)	Laboratorio Reig Jofré, S.A
Viridia series 50 XM Fetal Monitor	Koninklijke Philips N.V		https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/product/HC865071/avalon-fm50-fetal-monitor
Voluson P6	General Electric Health Care Company		https://www.ge-sonostore.com/en/voluson/p6