A vaginal delivery protocol for the term breech infant utilizing ball pelvimetry.

Ball pelvimetry has been utilized at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont to evaluate infants with breech presentation for vaginal delivery. That technique provided measurements of both the fetal head volume and maternal pelvic capacity so that relative fetomaternal relationships could be established. Between January 1979 and December 1981, 107 patients in spontaneous labor with term pregnancy were evaluated with the protocol. Inadequate pelvimetry and hyperextension of the fetal head occurred in 21 patients (20%). Of the 86 patients who were allowed to labor, 51 (59%) had a vaginal delivery. The total cesarean section rate was 52%. Vaginal delivery in our highly selected patient population did not increase neonatal morbidity. There were no neonatal deaths.