External cephalic version of the term breech baboon (Papio sp.) fetus

Background  Breech presentation in baboons may be associated with head entrapment and stillbirth during vaginal delivery. For this reason, pregnant dams at our institution typically undergo cesarean delivery for known breech presentation, leading to problems with maternal–infant bonding and increased nursery utilization. Methods  This paper describes a simple, non-invasive technique called external cephalic version (ECV) that effectively converts the baboon breech fetus into a cephalic presentation. Results  ECV was successful in each of seven attempted cases, with the consistent development of contractions and vaginal bleeding leading to the delivery of a healthy liveborn infant within 72 hours. Conclusions  ECV may offer a safe and effective alternative to cesarean section for delivery of the breech baboon fetus.