Impact of a simulator-based training program on the success rate of external cephalic version

Objective: To compare the success and complication rates of external cephalic version before and after the implementation of a simulator-based training program at a tertiary care university centre with a dedicated external cephalic version team.

Study design: In this single-center intervention study, the success rate and the complication rates of external cephalic version in the two years before the implementation of a simulation-based training program for all specialists and residents, were compared with the two years following the event. T- student, Mann-Whitney, and Chi-square tests were used. All data were extracted from the hospital's electronic patient records.

Results: A total of 96 external cephalic versions were performed in the 2 years before the training program, and 74 after the training program. The overall success rates were similar between the two groups: 44.8 % before training and 43.2 % after training (p = 0.824). No major complications occurred, and no emergency cesarean deliveries were performed in either period.

Conclusion: In a tertiary care university training center with a dedicated team in external cephalic version, a structured simulation-based training program did not impact the success rate or the complication rates of the procedure.