The Pediatrician and Breech Delivery

The tragedy of an infant death following a difficult breech delivery prompted a survey of all the full-term breech deliveries at Kennewick General Hospital for the past ten years. The hazards imposed on the fetus by breech delivery were revealed when these cases were examined for fetal morbidity as well as mortality. 1 Material All deliveries at Kennewick General Hospital since it opened in August, 1952, until August, 1962, were reviewed. Fetal Size .—Only single births weighing over 5 lbs 8 oz (2,505 gm) were included. Premature infants and twins were excluded in an effort to isolate factors peculiar to term breech delivery. Mortality.—Uncorrected, six (5.2%); corrected, five (4.3%). Uncorrected includes all the deaths in this series since no malformations occurred incompatible with life. Corrected excludes one stillborn infant of a diabetic mother. 3 Deaths .—Three primiparous patients lost their babies. Each followed a similar pattern. There was difficulty in