About 3% of all babies are breech so it's a fairly common issue in pregnancy. It's also not unusual for breech babies to turn at the last minute of their own accord. Up until fairly recently breech babies were still delivered vaginally unless there was another reason for sectioning. It was considered another variation of normal birth although it was seen as more difficult. Midwives and obstetricians were trained and had experience in delivering breech babies safely. Now that most breech babies are routinely delivered via c-section that knowledge has been largely lost which compromises the health and safety of babies who are undiagnosed as breech and limits the birthing options of those whose babies are breech.
This is the study that found that breech babies were more at risk if delivered vaginally than if delivered by c-section. It is the study that has been used as the basis of the policy of sectioning for breech.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(00)02840-3/fulltext?_eventId=loginHere is a commentary about the flaws in the above study/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2382853/Term-Breech-Trial-Commentary1Here is an article about how c-sections are not necessarily the best option for breech births and why Canadian obstetricians are being encouraged to manage breech deliveries vaginally.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/c-section-not-best-option-for-breech-birth/article1186104/At the end of the day though it's something that all factors need to be taken into account when making a decision. If there are midwives or obstetricians skilled in breech birth than a c-section has a better outcome but it is a shame that all that knowledge has been lost and our choices as birthing women are reduced.
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