La proposta di rivolgimento alle donne con feto in presentazione podalica

Italy is the European country with highest amount of cesarean section, with a rate of about 38%, unlike the average of 20% of the rest of Europe. One of the most frequent indications for cesarean section is breech presentation. To solve this malpresentation and approach a vaginal delivery it is possible to have recourse to some treatments to rectify breech presentation. The Italian Department of Health, like the main international obstetrics and gynaecologists organizations, recommends the external cephalic version (ECV) to the pregnant woman after the 36th week of gestation age. The ECV is considered the most effective treatment to obtain cephalic version. A greater spread of ECV would result in reducing the prevalence of breech presentation at term and the incidence of caesarian section. It is important therefore to offer to the pregnant woman with fetus in breech presentation, an alternative to the caesarian section and let her live the experience of the natural delivery. Hence came the main question that this thesis poses: is a treatment for cephalic version proposed to women with fetus in breech presentation? To this end, a questionnaire about the proposal of a treatment for the cephalic version has been submitted to women that underwent a caesarian section for breech presentation. Differently from what OMS, Department of Health and main obstetrics and gynaecologists international organizations recommend, it is unlikely that these women receive this proposal. A lot of women, as they don’t receive any information from obstetrics personnel, rely on indications of mass media and of acquaintances, and so risk to obtain wrong informations. An informative process, that goes further the unspecific news that are usually offered, should be implemented.