Comparison of obstetrical outcomes in patients undergoing cerclage with or without amniocentesis.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare the obstetrical outcomes in patients who underwent midtrimester cerclage placement with or without prior amniocentesis in a single center cohort. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review in a single academic institution was undertaken of all patients who underwent either an exam or ultrasound indicated cerclage. This group was then divided into two groups: amniocentesis or no amniocentesis groups. Detailed maternal data was abstracted from the prenatal and hospital records. Amniocentesis fluid specimens were sent for Gram stain, aerobic and anaerobic bacterial culture, including mycoplasma and ureaplasma, as well as for glucose. Comparisons were performed utilizing Parametric 2-sample t-test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test was utilized to compare categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients who underwent a cerclage were utilized for comparison. Sixty-five patients who had an amniocentesis performed prior to the cerclage were compared with 95 patients who underwent a cerclage without an amniocentesis. None of the amniocentesis results were positive for infection in those that received a cerclage. Patients that had an amniocentesis before cerclage were found to have an earlier gestational age at time of the procedure (20.30 ± 2.29 weeks versus 21.32 ± 1.81 weeks, p < .001), a shorter cervical length on presentation (0.93 ± 0.61 cm versus 1.45 ± 0.66 cm, p < .001), delivered at an earlier gestational age (GA 32.2 [30.3 to 34.2] versus 36.3 [35.2 to 37.3] weeks, p < .001) with shorter time from cerclage placement until delivery (13.9 [0.0 to 24.0] versus 16.3 [0.3 to 23.2] weeks, p = .010). The rates of chorioamnionitis and PPROM were significantly higher in the amniocentesis group (17 versus 2%, p = .0008 and 26 versus 13%, p = .03 respectively). Five patients who underwent an amniocentesis did not receive a cerclage, with one having a positive Gram stain and culture. CONCLUSION: Amniocentesis use prior to cerclage placement in this single institution cohort was utilized in patients who presented earlier in gestation with shorter cervical length and more cervical dilation. The severity of presentation was the determining factor in the decision to perform an amniocentesis prior to cerclage placement, and, because of this difference in severity, outcomes for the amniocentesis group were predictably worse than those who did not undergo amniocentesis.

Avoiding Inadequate Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Group B Streptococci.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the frequency and reasons for inadequate group B streptococci (GBS) prophylaxis at our institution and to estimate what proportion of cases can be avoided with perfect protocol adherence. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of neonates born to GBS-colonized women who received inadequate prophylaxis between April 30, 2013, and May 1, 2014. The maternal chart was analyzed to categorize each case as avoidable (adequate time on labor and delivery to receive antibiotics 4 hours before birth and ß-lactam antibiotic-eligible) or unavoidable and to determine whether a violation of the 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol (delayed or incorrect antibiotics) occurred. RESULTS: A total of 197 of 488 (40.4%, 95% confidence interval 36.1-44.8%) newborns of group B-colonized women received inadequate prophylaxis. Of these, 157 cases (79.7%, 73.4-84.8%) were unavoidable and would have occurred even with perfect protocol adherence. The 40 (20.3%, 15.3-26.5%) avoidable cases due to protocol violations resulted from delayed antibiotic administration (first dose of antibiotics more than 1 hour after admission [median 9.33 hours, range 3.83-25 hours] in 25 patients; no antibiotics in four patients; total 29 patients, 72.5%) or incorrect antibiotic selection (11 patients, 27.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Forty percent of patients received inadequate prophylaxis, and four of five cases are unavoidable with our current labor management and the 2010 CDC guidelines. Timeliness and selection of antibiotics remain areas for improvement, but the overall effects on sepsis prevention will be modest.