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(b) Cæsarean Section (3 Cases).
Cæsarean section was performed on 3 primigravidæ. One was
referred to hospital at 34 weeks as a breech, with a soft mass at the
brim of the pelvis. External version was performed with considerable
difficulty, and the patient was discovered to have a fairly
large cystic swelling in the hollow of the sacrum which would
definitely obstruct labour. The second case was a woman of small
stature, who had one leg shorter than the other without any obvious
tilting of the pelvis. She was referred to hospital at 33 weeks as
"disproportion" and was kept in hospital from the 35th week.
The third was a woman of 35 years with an excessive amount of abdominal
fat. She made one attendance at the clinic at 36 weeks.
Two weeks later she was sent to hospital by her private medical
practitioner as a case of disproportion, breech presentation.
Although she had large external measurements, and the baby
weighed only 6¼ lbs., it was considered advisable to perform
Cæsesarean Section at term.
(c) Induction (1 Case).
Surgical induction was performed at 38½ weeks in a multiparae
aged 24 years. She had had two previous inductions at 36-38
weeks, and a living child resulted in each case. In this pregnancy
she was referred to hospital at 34 weeks because she was developing
hydramnios.
(d) Breech Presentation (7 Cases).
Of the breech presentations 4 occurred in primigravidae and
3 in multiparae. None of the four in primigravidae was diagnosed
definitely in pregnancy although two were queried. One resulted
in a stillbirth ; it was a footling, with the cord prolapsed.
Of the 3 multiparae, one was a woman of 41 years who was
having her sixteenth child. The second failed to attend in the last
six weeks although urged to do so. The presentation was an
extended breech and the baby was stillborn. The third was sent
by her midwife at 38-39 weeks and was found to be a breech. She
was a woman of 41 years having her seventh child after a six-year
interval. She had a very solid abdomen and said she usually had
9 lb. babies. There was no possibility of doing a version and she
was given a letter to attend hospital six days later if labour had not
commenced. She turned out to be a breech with extended legs
and when she was admitted to hospital surgical induction was
performed. This resulted in a living child. When she was