Effects of cervical cerclage on cervical length and the impact of changes in cervical length on pregnancy prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

To identify any cervix-related morphological and functional marker that can be correlated with pregnancy prognosis in patients who have undergone cerclage for cervical incompetence.

DESIGN

An observational and prospective study.

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics, Paulista School of Medicine - Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP-EPM).

METHODS

Patients with cervical incompetence who underwent cervical cerclage using a modified version of the McDonald procedure during or before the 22nd week of pregnancy. The patients were examined by transvaginal ultrasound in the preoperative period, the immediate postoperative period, and between 20 and 24 weeks, 24 weeks + 1 day and 28 weeks, and 28 weeks + 1 day and 32 weeks. Cervical length and the presence of funneling were evaluated during all examinations. Changes in cervical length, presence or absence of funneling, percent increase or decrease in cervical length, and cervical length of less than established values (.