Long-term neurological morbidity in breech and vertex births.

Seventy frank breech fetuses delivered vaginally, alive at the onset of labor, and without major congenital anomalies were matched by birth weight and race with a breech infant born by cesarean section, a vertex infant born vaginally, and a vertex infant born by cesarean section. Long-term neurological abnormality was determined from time of hospital discharge through a minimum of 2 years of age. The results document the absence of significant differences with respect to major brain damage effected by birth route changes for breech fetuses and between the entire breech and vertex populations.