Discourse on the Mother's Decision Regarding the Mode of Delivery in Cases of Breech Presentation

NCT07314970 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 9537
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 200
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Breech presentation is a common occurrence in routine practice, occurring in 3-4% of all term pregnancies. Despite its frequency, breech presentation at term remains a subject of considerable controversy within the medical community. This results in differing management approaches depending on the country, the center, and the practitioner. Indeed, from a pathophysiological perspective, during a breech delivery, the fetal head is the last segment to descend into the maternal pelvis. This is the largest fetal segment in terms of volume. Furthermore, the fetal head cannot accommodate itself to the maternal pelvis through plastic deformation. This presentation can therefore lead to specific complications that may be life-threatening for the unborn child. Despite its frequency, breech presentation at term remains a subject of considerable controversy within the medical community regarding the management of labor. In the 2000s, a randomized trial called the TERM BREECH TRIAL found a neonatal benefit of planned cesarean section compared to vaginal delivery of a breech fetus (prevention of perinatal death in 1% of cases). This resulted in a significant increase in the rate of planned cesarean sections for breech presentation worldwide. However, numerous more recent studies (notably PREMODA in France) have highlighted the many biases of the Term Breech Trial, and various literature reviews (including the 2015 Cochrane review) have demonstrated lower perinatal morbidity than that found by Hannah's team. In 2020, the CNGOF (National College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of France) published new recommendations on the management of breech presentations at the end of pregnancy, proposing vaginal delivery as a possible alternative to a planned cesarean section, provided that the patient receives clear and honest information (benefits and risks of each delivery method). The choice of delivery method must be made in consultation with the patient after a dedicated consultation. Since these recommendations were published, management practices still vary between hospitals despite fairly precise guidelines.

Conditions

Breech Presentation

Keywords

Breech Presentation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Overall satisfaction of women who gave birth to a breech fetus regarding their medical care

  Questionnaire from the book "The Joyful and Relaxed Pregnancy Guide" Score from 0 to 10: 0 = Not at all satisfied 5 = Partially satisfied 10 = Completely satisfied

  Up to 12 months

Study Arms (2)

Doctor with a primary focus on Obstetrics

* Practicing in a University Hospital in the Grand Est region (Besançon, Reims, Strasbourg, Nancy) * Agreeing to complete the self-administered questionnaire anonymously.

Other: To complete a questionnaire

Adult woman (≥ 18 years old)

* Gave birth in 2024 at a university hospital in the Grand Est region (Besançon, Reims, Strasbourg, Nancy) * Breech delivery \> 37 weeks gestation * Agree to complete the self-administered questionnaire anonymously.

Other: To complete a questionnaire

Interventions

To complete a questionnaire OTHER

Doctor and Adult woman agreeing to complete the self-administered questionnaire anonymously.

Adult woman (≥ 18 years old); Doctor with a primary focus on Obstetrics

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

* Doctor with a medical degree (Junior Doctor, Clinical Assistant, Hospital Practitioner, University Professor of Obstetrics), with a primary focus on Obstetrics. * Patient of legal age (≥ 18 years) * Having given birth in 2024 in a university hospital in the Grand-Est region (Besançon, Reims, Strasbourg, Nancy)

You may qualify if:

• Regarding practitioners:
• Doctor with a medical degree (Junior Doctor, Clinical Assistant, Hospital Practitioner, University Professor of Obstetrics), with a primary focus on Obstetrics
• Practicing in a University Hospital in the Grand Est region (Besançon, Reims, Strasbourg, Nancy)
• Agreeing to complete the self-administered questionnaire anonymously.
• Regarding patients:
• Patient of legal age (≥ 18 years)
• Having given birth in 2024 in a university hospital in the Grand-Est region (Besançon, Reims, Strasbourg, Nancy)
• Delivery of a breech fetus \> 37 weeks of gestation
• Agreeing to answer the self-administered questionnaire anonymously.

You may not qualify if:

• Regarding practitioners:
• Other primary activity than obstetrics
• Regarding patients:
• Minor patient at the time of delivery
• Patient who had a cesarean section due to a uterine scar and maternal desire.
• Patients with a history of uterine scarring or the presence of obstruction previa were also excluded due to the impossibility of authorizing vaginal delivery, regardless of fetal presentation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Strasbourg, France: lead

Study Sites (1)

Service de Gynécologique et d'Obstétrique - CHU de Strasbourg - France

Strasbourg, 67091, France

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Breech Presentation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Obstetric Labor Complications; Pregnancy Complications; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases

Central Study Contacts

Mary PONTVIANNE, MD

CONTACT

33 3 88 12 75 07; mary.pontvianne@chru-strasbourg.fr

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 17, 2025
• First Posted: January 2, 2026
• Study Start: January 28, 2025
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2026
• Study Completion: February 1, 2026
• Last Updated: January 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

FR (1)