CERVICAL CERCLAGE - AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PLACENTA PREVIA

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether cervical cerclage redu ces the maternal and neonatal morbidity in women with placenta previa. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-nine pregnant women with an initial diagnosis of placenta previa at 24 to 30 weeks' gestation were randomly assigned t o cervical cerclage (n = 19) or conservative management (n = 20). Subj ects were followed up until delivery. Primary outcome measure was gest ational age at delivery. Secondary outcome measures were prolongation of pregnancy, number of patients bleeding after being randomly assigne d, units of blood transfused, birth weight, hospital stay and costs, a nd admission to neonatal intensive care unit. Statistical significance was calculated by the Student t test, Fisher's exact probability test , and the chi(2) with Yates' correction factor. RESULTS: No statistica lly significant differences were observed between the two groups studi ed. CONCLUSION: Cervical cerclage does not appear to be an adequate al ternative for the management of placenta previa.