Women with twin pregnancies should not be given prophylactic cerclage simply because they are carrying two fetuses. A 14-year retrospective study of twins using data from Matria Healthcare indicates that prophylactic cerclage is associated with a higher frequency of very premature delivery, low birth weight and very low birth weight infants, and more nursery days
Women with twin pregnancies should not be given prophylactic cerclage simply because they are carrying two fetuses. A 14-year retrospective study of twins using data from Matria Healthcare indicates that prophylactic cerclage is associated with a higher frequency of very premature delivery, low birth weight and very low birth weight infants, and more nursery days.
Andrei Rebarber, MD, and a team from NYU University Hospital in New York City combed the Matria Healthcare records of outpatient preterm labor surveillance between 1990 and 2004. The group compared twin pregnancies with and without prophylactic cerclage. Women with previous preterm deliveries or a diagnosis of cervical incompetence in a previous or the index pregnancy were excluded.
Of the 8,168 twin pregnancies that met inclusion criteria, 146, or 1.8%, received prophylactic cerclage. The incidence of delivery before 32 weeks was 19.2% in the prophylactic cerclage group compared to 12.1% in the non-cerclage group (P=0.014). Median birth weights were lower, 2,140 g compared to 2,310 g (P=0.001) for those without a cerclage. The cerclage group had 13.7 nursery days versus 11.7 days for the noncerclage group (P=0.012). Citing the risks involved, researches recommended against the use of prophylactic cerclage for the sole indication of twin pregnancy.
Rebarber R, Roman A, Saltzman D, Laughon SK, Rhea D. Prophylactic cerclage in the management of twin pregnancies. Obstet Gynecol. 2005;105(4 suppl):114S.
Link between prenatal air pollution and reduced lung function in offspring reported
July 25th 2024Higher prenatal exposure to PM2.5 pollution is associated with reduced lung volume and airflow limitation in children, highlighting the critical impact of air pollution on in utero lung development.
Read More
Cut costs observed from out-of-home care in children with prenatal substance exposure
July 24th 2024A recent study reveals that while children exposed to maternal substance use face higher hospital costs up to age 20 years, out-of-home care significantly mitigates this financial burden.
Read More
Global progress in neonatal tetanus elimination from 2000 to 2022
July 18th 2024Incorporating maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination strategies into national immunization activities is crucial for sustaining elimination and reducing neonatal mortality worldwide, as highlighted by the latest CDC report.
Read More
PreTRM test shows efficacy in reducing severe neonatal morbidity and mortality
July 18th 2024The PreTRM test, a blood-based biomarker test for predicting preterm birth risk, has demonstrated significant efficacy in lowering severe neonatal morbidity and mortality, as reported by Sera Prognostics Inc.
Read More