Uterine cerclage is a surgical procedure that involves closing the cervix with a kind of tape that is fixed to him and knotted. It is used in cases where it is shown that the cervix is incompetent, that is, when it dilates and opens early, under pressure from the uterus and the fetus that increase in size.
This alteration is due to various causes, such as a congenital weakening of the cervix or a change due to some intervention in the cervix, and causes abortions or immature births. Cerclage is a solution in cases where this problem causes repeated early fetal losses by the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy.
Purpose of the cerclage
He cerclage Its purpose is to reinforce the cervix by placing a suture in order to prevent its dilation. It is usually practiced in the 14th or 15th week of gestation Under general anesthesia and after a few hours the pregnant woman is discharged.
Once at home, the woman will have to rest for several days or weeks, and monitor the cerclage on different visits to the gynecologist for proper suture control and possible signs of labor.
Sutures are removed near the ninth month of pregnancy. If contractions appear before reaching term, it may be necessary to remove it before due to the risk of tearing and the consequent hemorrhage.
Between 70% and 90% of women who practice cerclage give birth to a healthy baby. However, it is not clear how many of these women really needed a cerclage. Many women with short uterine necks choose not to have surgery and still give birth to healthy babies.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cerclage is an invasive procedure with a risk intrinsic of pregnancy loss. Therefore, it should only be performed in high-risk cases where there is a cervical factor during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
The fact that a pregnant woman has performed a cerclage does not contraindicate that she may have a normal delivery if the cerclage has been previously removed and no complications occur.
Definitely, Cerclage is the cervical suture that is performed on pregnant women who have incompetence of the cervix since it dilates before pregnancy has come to an end.
