Obstetric trainees' experience in vaginal breech delivery - Implications for future practice

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether trainee obstetricians intend to offer vaginal breech delivery once they become certified as specialists and to quantify their experience in vaginal breech delivery. METHODS: This was an anonymous postal survey of all Australian trainee obstetricians. The survey inquired about experience with, confidence in, and intentions regarding planned vaginal breech delivery after trainees' certification as specialists. RESULTS: Surveys were sent to all 303 Australian registered trainee obstetricians. The response rate was 65%. Experience in vaginal breech delivery increased with year of training, from a median of one delivery for first-year trainees to a median of 12 deliveries for final-year trainees. Although 53% of final-year trainees reported feeling confident with vaginal breech delivery, only 11% reported an intention to offer planned vaginal breech delivery at term as a specialist. CONCLUSION: Few of the next generation of specialist obstetricians plan to offer vaginal breech delivery to their patients.