Cerclage compared with progesterone
Only one trial has attempted to directly compare ultrasoundindicated
cervical cerclage with a progesterone (53). The progesterone
was 17P given intramuscularly. The trial was halted prematurely,
and the sample size was too small to make meaningful
conclusions (13).
No trial has compared vaginal progesterone versus cerclage for
ultrasound-detected cervical shortening in mid-pregnancy (13).
An indirect comparison using adjusted indirect meta-analysis of
trials was reported by Conde-Agudelo et al. (54). The analysis
included trials of singleton pregnancies with a history of previous
preterm birth and in which ultrasound imaging had demonstrated
a short cervix in mid-pregnancy. Both vaginal progesterone and
cerclage were found to be effective in preventing preterm birth
and improving perinatal outcomes. Neither treatment, however,
was superior to the other.
At this time, the evidence guiding clinical practice in making a
decision to insert a cervical cerclage versus administration of progesterone
is incomplete. Decisions need to be based on informed
consent and include patient and clinician preference, as well as the
local availability of surgical resources and expertise.