Although various international professional societies currently recommend trial of vaginal delivery of term fetuses in breech presentation, the question of the method of cervical ripening, when necessary, remains open.

To compare the effectiveness of two methods of cervical ripening for delivery of a singleton fetus in breech presentation at term: a mechanical method (balloon catheter) and a pharmaceutical method (prostaglandins).

This two-center retrospective study reviewed records from 2014 through 2019 in two French maternity units with two different cervical ripening methods for fetuses in breech presentation. The study included all women with cervical ripening for a medical indication with a live singleton fetus in breech presentation ≥ 37 weeks, with an unfavorable cervix. The group treated with a mechanical method was compared with the group receiving a pharmaceutical method. The cesarean delivery rate was the principal outcome, and maternal and neonatal morbidity the secondary outcomes.

We included 74 women, 19 with mechanical cervical ripening, and 55 with pharmaceutical treatment. The cesarean rate was 57.9% in the balloon catheter group and 40% in the prostaglandin group (P=0.097) (crude OR =2.06, 95% CI [0.72 – 5.94]; adjusted OR = 2.88, 95% confidence interval [0.52-15.96]), and the postpartum hemorrhage rates 21.1% and 1.8% respectively (P=0.008). Neonatal morbidity did not differ significantly.

Although the cesarean rate and neonatal morbidity and mortality did not differ significantly between these two methods of cervical ripening, our study lacked power.