[Breech presentation: vaginal delivery or elective cesarean section?].

The incidence of asphyxia and mortality has been evaluated retrospectively in 716 breech newborns who were vaginally or by elective caesarean section delivered. In the group of 171 preterm infants the rate of asphyxia and mortality has been more elevated in the newborns vaginally delivered; in the group of 545 term infants has not been any difference between those who were delivered vaginally or by caesarean section. About the 50% of the term infants and only the 8% of the preterm infants were delivered by caesarean section. Consequently, we can deduce that the elective caesarean section would be used also in infants of GA less than or equal to 36 weeks.