title: Early transvaginal ultrasonography versus early cerclage in women with an unclear history of incompetent cervix.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to compare outcomes in women with a questionable history of incompetent cervix, followed up with early transvaginal ultrasonography, with outcomes in women who had early cerclage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charts were reviewed and patients identified for incompetent cervix from our obstetric database from 1995 through 1997. We included women who had an unclear history of incompetent cervix as follows: second-trimester loss or termination, > or =3 first-trimester terminations, cone biopsy or loop electrosurgical excision, or exposure to diethylstilbestrol. The primary outcome variable was gestational age at delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 106 women were included, 45 in the early cerclage group and 61 in the early transvaginal ultrasonography group. The mean gestational age at delivery was 35.1 weeks for the early cerclage group versus 36.1 weeks for the early transvaginal ultrasonography group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In women with an unclear history of incompetent cervix, early cerclage does not appear to offer significant benefit over early transvaginal ultrasonography.
authors.affiliation: Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Christiana Care Health Services, Newark, Delaware 19718, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lefebvre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sciscione
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014463:Ultrasonography; D002581:Uterine Cervical Incompetence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery