Cervical cerclage, also known as a cervical stitch, is a treatment for cervical weakness, when the cervix starts to shorten and open too early during a pregnancy causing either a late miscarriage or preterm birth. In women with a prior spontaneous preterm birth and who are pregnant with one baby, and have shortening of the cervical length less than 25 mm, a cerclage prevents a preterm birth and reduces death and illness in the baby.
Laparoscopic abdominal cerclage is emerging as the preferred treatment option for patients with refractory cervical insufficiency. Laparoscopic abdominal cerclage reduces second-trimester loss and preterm birth with success rates similar to open abdominal cerclage. In a cervical cerclage, strong stiches (sutures) are used to close the cervix during pregnancy to help prevent premature birth. Typically, the stitches are removed during the last month of pregnancy.
You can watch the Laparoscopic Cervical Cerclage performed by Dr. Mala Raj in this video.
