An observational study of the success and complications of 2546 external cephalic versions in low-risk pregnant women performed by trained midwives

Objective To evaluate the success of an external cephalic version (ECV) training programme, and to determine the rates of successful ECV, complications, and caesarean birth in a low-risk population. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Primary health care and hospital settings throughout the Netherlands (January 2008–September 2011)....

Implementation of client versus care-provider strategies to improve external cephalic version rates: A cluster randomized controlled trial

Onjective: To determine the effectiveness of a client or care-provider strategy to improve the implementation of external cephalic version. Design: Cluster randomized controlled trial.Setting: Twenty-five clusters; hospitals and their referring midwifery practices randomly selected in the Netherlands. Population: Singleton breech presentation...

Patients' and professionals' barriers and facilitators to external cephalic version for breech presentation at term, a qualitative analysis in the Netherlands

Objective: external cephalic version (ECV) is a relatively simple and safe manoeuvre and a proven effective approach in the reduction of breech presentation at term. There is professional consensus that ECV should be offered to all women with a fetus in breech presentation, but only up to 70% of women eligible for ECV undergo an ECV attempt. The...

Facilitators and barriers to external cephalic version for breech presentation at term among health care providers in the Netherlands: A quantitative analysis

OBJECTIVE: guidelines recommend that external cephalic version (ECV) should be offered to all women with a fetus in breech presentation at term. However, only 50-60% of the women receive an ECV attempt. We explored the determinants (barriers and facilitators) affecting the uptake of the guidelines among gynaecologists and midwives in the...

Implementation of external cephalic version in the Netherlands: A retrospective cohort study

Background: External cephalic version (ECV) reduces the rate of elective cesarean sections as a result of breech presentation. Several studies have shown that not all eligible women undergo an ECV attempt. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of ECV in the Netherlands and to explain variation in implementation rates with...

Contraindications for external cephalic version in breech position at term: A systematic review

Objective. External cephalic version (ECV) is a safe and effective intervention that can prevent breech delivery, thus reducing the need for cesarean delivery. It is recommended in national guidelines. These guidelines also mention contraindications for ECV, and thereby restrict the application of ECV. We assessed whether the formulation of...

Prevalence, outcome, and women's experiences of external cephalic version in a low-risk population

Background: Until recently, external cephalic version to prevent breech presentation at birth was not widely accepted. The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence, outcomes, and women's experiences of external cephalic version to improve the implementation of the procedure in the Netherlands. Methods: A prospective cohort study was...

A retrospective study of the success, safety and effectiveness of external cephalic version without tocolysis in a specialised midwifery centre in the Netherlands

Background: to evaluate the effectiveness of external cephalic version (ECV) without tocolysis or epidural analgesia, the complications associated with the procedure and the association between the number of ECV attempts and cephalic presentation at birth and caesarean section. Methods: retrospective cohort study of all (n = 924) ECVs carried...