Paper

Acupuncture Conversion of Fetal Breech Presentation
Dubravko Habek^a, Jasna Čerkez Habek^b, Mirjana Jagušt^c

Clinical Departments of
^aObstetrics and Gynecology and
^bInternal Medicine, Clinical Hospital Osijek, Osijek, and
^cDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital Gospić, Gospić, Croatia

Address of Corresponding Author

Fetal Diagn Ther 2003;18:418-421 (DOI: 10.1159/000073135)

  Key Words

• Fetal breech presentation
• Acupuncture
• Perinatal outcome

  Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the value of acupuncture (AP) in the conversion of fetal breech presentation into vertex presentation. Patients and Methods: A randomized prospective controlled clinical study included 67 pregnant women with fetal breech presentation: 34 women with singleton pregnancies treated with manual AP (urinary bladder 67, Zhiyin) and a control group which included 33 women with singleton pregnancies without AP treatment. The AP treatment lasted 30 min a day, and was conducted during and after 34 weeks of pregnancy with simultaneous cardiotocography. Results: The success rate of the AP correction of fetal breech presentation is 76.4% (26 women), and spontaneous conversion without AP in vertex presentation is observed in 15 women (45.4%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: We believe that AP correction of fetal malpresentation is a relatively simple, efficacious and inexpensive method associated with a lower percentage of operatively completed deliveries, which definitely reflects in improved parameters of vital and perinatal statistics.

Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dubravko Habek, MD, PhD
Clinical Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Hospital Osijek
Zeleno Polje 9
HR–31000 Osijek (Croatia)
Tel. +385 31 501092, Fax +385 31 512294, E-Mail dubravko.habek@bj.hinet.hr

  Article Information

Received: July 15, 2002
Accepted after revision: November 18, 2002
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 14