Abstract
Objective: Our purpose was to determine whether cerclage placement in women with a short cervix
on transvaginal ultrasonography reduces the rate of preterm delivery. Study Design: A retrospective cohort study identified patients with an ultrasonographic short cervix
(cervical length ≤15 mm) between 14 and 24 weeks’ gestation. Cerclage placement was
performed at the discretion of the attending physician. Clinical characteristics and
outcome with and without cerclage were compared. Results: Seventy patients met inclusion criteria; 25 (36%) underwent cerclage placement. Patients
managed with cerclage had a lower gestational age at diagnosis (19.6 weeks vs 21.3
weeks, P < .01) but had a similar median cervical length, presence of funneling, and a history
of cervical surgery, in comparison with those managed without cerclage. The rate of
spontaneous preterm delivery was not different between groups. Patients with cerclage
had a higher rate of preterm premature rupture of membranes than those without cerclage
(65.2% vs 36.4%, P < .05). Conclusion: Cervical cerclage in patients with a short cervix did not reduce the rate of spontaneous
preterm delivery and increased the risk of preterm premature rupture of membranes.
(Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:1325-31.)
Keywords
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Article Info
Footnotes
☆Reprint requests: Sonia S. Hassan, MD, Wayne State University/Hutzel Hospital, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 4707 St Antoine Blvd, Detroit, MI 48201.
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Mosby, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
