Comparing Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes Following Elective and Emergency Cervical Cerclage in Singleton and Multiple Pregnanciesin a Tertiary Care Perinatal Centre.

Abstract

To compare the success, failure rates and perinatal outcomes following emergency and elective cervical cerclage in singleton and twin pregnancies at a tertiary care perinatal centre over half a decade. All pregnant women, both with singleton and twin pregnancies, who had cervical cerclage between June 2014 and May 2019were included in the retrospective study. Success rates, failure rates, maternalcomplications and perinatal outcomes were compared in both groups. There were 129 women enrolled in the study, 48 in the emergency and 81 in the elective group. A significantly greater number of multiparous women werein the elective group (97.5% versus 68.7%; p-value < 0.001). Twins were nearly four times more in the emergency group as compared tothe elective group. The mean cervical length at time ofcerclage was 2.05cm and 1.5cm; (p-value < 0.001) respectively in the elective and emergency groups. Almost half of the women in the emergency group hadbulging membranes. (52.2%). Following cerclage, mean gestational age at delivery was similar in both groups. However, more women in the elective group delivered at or beyond 34weeksin comparison to the emergency groups (71% versus 53.3%. P-value 0.05). Preterm labour leading to preterm births wasalmost twice in the emergency groupthan elective group (49% versus 22%, P-value 0.002). Rates of maternal chorioamnionitis were similar in both groups. Theoverall live birth rates were comparable (81.3% versus 84.4% P-value 0.85) in boththe groups. These results were also seen on doing subgroup analysis of elective versus emergency cerclage in singleton pregnancies only. Failure rates were also similar in both groups (18.7% versus 15.6%, P-value 0.85) Composite neonatal morbidity was more in the emergency group than in the elective group (35.5 versus 14%, P-value 0.01). Live birth rates and failure rates were comparable following elective and emergency cerclageboth overall and in singleton pregnancies. Maternal chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsisrates were similar in both the groups. However, composite neonatal morbidity was higher in the emergency cerclage group.