Cervical cerclage. A review of 74 cases.

The records of seventy-four patients who had had cervical cerclage procedures were surveyed. Without suture placement, these patients would have had a fetal salvage rate of 23%. The Shirodkar method was performed in 67 cases and the McDonald in 7. Spontaneous abortions occurred in ten women (13.5%). Four pregnancies terminated between the 20th and 26th week of gestation; two of these losses were due to chorioamnionitis and two to immature labor. No congenital anomalies were noted. In the remaining 60 patients, 6 pregnancies terminated between the 28th and the 36th week of gestation, and 54 pregnancies were carried beyond the 36th week; all of these infants survived. The salvage rate after the cerclage procedure was 81.8%. The average length of labor in the patients who delivered vaginally was 9 hours, 18 minutes. The incidence of cervical lacerations was 3%. Eight cesarean sections were performed (13.3%) for various reasons.