Beneficial effect of cervical cerclage in preventing pregnancy loss

ABSTRACT

To find out results of cervical cerclage in patients with cervical incompetence [CI] for preventing pregnancy loss. Observational case series. Fatima Hospital Baqai Medical University Karachi, from January 2010 to December 2011. Patients with previous history of mid-trimester pregnancy loss, previous early preterm deliveries and cervical length < 2.5cms were included. McDonald cervical cerclage was placed around the cervix between 13-24weeks of gestation with silk no.2 after excluding intra-uterine infection, gross fetal anomaly and placental abruption. Cerclage was removed at 37 week of gestation. The patients and neonates were followed till one week post delivery. A total of 33 patients were included. Pregnancy prolongation with delivery at term occurred in 87.8% [through vaginal delivery in 87.7% and via cesarean section in four -12% cases]. Preterm delivery [9%], miscarriage [3%], live born babies [93.9%], fetal survival rate [87.8%], peri-natal death[6%], per-operative complications [12%], post-operative complications [18%] were other findings. Birth weight more than 2500gms was noted in 54.5%. Cervical cerclage has beneficial role in properly selected patients with sonographically short and incompetent cervix