Posted on 03/17/2024 8:35:10 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Women who have a cesarean section in the late stages of labor are at increased risk of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies. But researchers have now found a way to prevent this from happening.
Their study studied 243 pregnant women who had been referred to a preterm birth surveillance clinic between January 2017 to April 2021, who had previously had a late stage C-section in the second phase of labor.
The team used a validated transvaginal ultrasound technique—which they developed in 2022—to assess the position of the women's C-section scar in relation to their cervix (neck of the womb).
An ultrasound probe was inserted into the vagina and gently moved on either side to assess the cervical length and the height of C-section scar.
If researchers were unable to see a C-section scar, then they found that the women were unlikely to have a preterm birth.
However, if the scar was low down the womb or within the cervix then there was a much higher chance of the cervix becoming short in mid-pregnancy and of women then delivering preterm.
To prevent this from happening, the researchers found that placing a small stitch around the cervix lowered the risk of preterm birth to 4.1% in their patients. The stitch, called a cervical cerclage, can be placed as a day case surgical procedure with excellent outcomes.
The earlier a child is born, the higher their risk. Around 1 in 10 of all preterm babies will have a permanent disability.
Professor David said, "The assessment of C-section scar characteristics and position is easily incorporated into routine antenatal surveillance, taking only an extra minute to perform during transvaginal ultrasound.
"If we can identify women with a short cervix and put a stitch in place, it reduces the risk of preterm birth massively.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
This seems almost too simple and cheap to have such benefits. I would think this will become a big deal.
My wife had this done when she nearly had a miscarriage at 6 months. Our daughter was born 3 months later.
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