• Michael Lavie, Neta Shamir-Kaholi, Inbar Lavie, Reut Doyev, and Yariv Yogev.
• Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Lis Hospital for Women, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. mickeylavie@gmail.com.
• Arch. Gynecol. Obstet. 2020 Apr 1; 301 (4): 981-986.

ObjectiveTo assess outcomes of ultrasound and physical examination-based cerclage performed at mid to late second trimester and to assess the potential added value of progesterone treatment combined with cerclage for preventing preterm birth.Study DesignA retrospective cohort study of women who underwent cerclage in a university-affiliated tertiary medical center (2012-2018). Inclusion criteria included only ultrasound-based cerclage and physical examination-based cerclage. Women who underwent history-based cerclage or multiple gestations were excluded. Study groups were stratified by previous PTB < 37 weeks and other risk factors for PTB. Primary outcome was the incidence of preterm birth < 35 weeks of gestation. Secondary outcomes included the potential added value of progesterone treatment and neonatal outcome.ResultsSixty-nine women underwent cervical cerclage placement between 16-23 weeks of gestation. All women had short cervix (cervical length of < 25 mm) at presentation. Indications for cerclage placement included: 29% previous PTB, 32% prior cervical interventions (history of at least one D&C, hysteroscopy or cold-knife conization in the past), 22% had cervical dilatation > 1 cm at presentation, 12% due to failure of progesterone treatment defined as continued cervical shortening after 14 days of progesterone treatment, and 5% had other indications. Overall, 42 women (61%) gave birth at term. 27 women (39%) delivered prior to 37 weeks of gestation, of them, 20 women (29%) gave birth prior to 35 weeks. Overall median gestational age at delivery was 35 + 5 ± 4.7 weeks. Cervical dilatation at presentation of > 1 cm was associated with an increased risk for PTB < 35 weeks (OR 3.57, CI 1.43-30.81, p = 0.036). Previous PTB, prior cervical interventions and extent of cervical shortening at presentation did not increase the risk of PTB. Progesterone treatment in addition to cerclage did not result in a decreased risk for PTB < 35 weeks of gestation (OR 2.83, CI 0.58-13.89, p = 0.199).ConclusionLate second trimester cerclage is a practical measure for preventing PTB in cases of asymptomatic cervical shortening. Our study did not find adjunctive benefit for progesterone treatment with physical or ultrasound-based cerclage in reducing the rate PTB.

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