Birth Asphyxia in Undiagnosed Term Singleton Breech Presentation Delivered Vaginally

Abstract Breech presentation, characterized by the fetus being positioned bottom-down instead of head-down, poses various risks to both the fetus and the mother. This study aims to investigate the frequency of birth asphyxia in undiagnosed singleton term breech presentations delivered vaginally. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad between April 2012 and April 2013. A total of 139 cases of breech presentation were consecutively selected from the labour room, and relevant observations were recorded. The mean age of the sample was 27.64 years, with a majority (53.2%) falling in the age group of 15-25 years. Birth asphyxia was observed in 17 neonates (12.2%), with primiparous women showing the highest frequency. Findings highlight the significance of vigilance in obstetric care, particularly for primiparous women with undiagnosed breech presentations, to mitigate risks associated with birth asphyxia.