Complications of cerclage.

The published results of cervical cerclage are almost invariably good and there is little mention of complications. Forty per cent of 52 pregnancies, with 38 early "prophylactic" and 14 late "therapeutic" operations, ended after 260 days' gestation. In 73 per cent a viable infant was born. The most frequent complication was premature rupture of the membranes (12 cases) followed by slipping suture (7) and premature delivery (6). Intra-uterine infection was fairly common. The implications and possible causes of this high rate of complications are discussed.