Home > Encyclopedia of Surgery > Cervical Cerclage

Definition

A cervical cerclage is a minor surgical procedure in which the opening to the uterus (the cervix) is stitched closed in order to prevent a miscarriage or premature birth.

Purpose

Approximately 10% of pregnancies end in preterm delivery, defined as a delivery that occurs before week 37 of pregnancy (the average pregnancy lasts 40 weeks). Premature birth is a major cause of serious health problems in neonates (newborn babies), including respiratory distress, difficulty regulating body temperature, and infection. More than 85% of long-term disabilities in otherwise healthy babies and 75% of deaths among newborns occur as a result of preterm delivery.

A woman with an incompetent cervix is 3.3 times more likely to deliver prematurely. The cervix is the neck-shaped opening at...