Abstract Introduction The Pro TWIN trial previously showed no beneficial effect of treatment with a cervical pessary vs usual care to prevent preterm birth in women with a multiple pregnancy. However, in women with a midtrimester short cervix (<38 mm), pessary did reduce the composite outcome of neonatal morbidity and mortality. This follow‐up study evaluates the long‐term outcomes of all children born to mothers who participated in the Pro TWIN trial at 4 years of age. Material and methods Parents received the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and a health questionnaire. All questionnaires were reported separately and as a combined outcome (abnormal child outcome). A linear mixed effects model was used to adjust for correlated data in twins and correction for confounders was performed. In exploratory analysis, a composite outcome of death or survival with abnormal child outcome was used by combining extrapolated data on child outcome with survival data. All data were analyzed for the total group and the subgroup of women with midtrimester short cervix. Results Of the original 813 women of the ProTWIN trial, we approached 579, of whom 258 participated (45%) in follow‐up. We received questionnaires of 514 children (281 pessary vs 233 control), with 119 children in the subgroup of women with midtrimester short cervix. An abnormal child outcome was found in 23% in the pessary group vs 16% in the control group (odds ratio 1.58; 95% confidence interval 0.94‐2.65). In exploratory analysis with extrapolated data on child outcome (n = 815), no difference in abnormal child outcome was seen between the pessary and control group. In the subgroup of women with a short cervix (n = 268), this composite outcome indicated a favorable outcome for children born to mothers with pessary. Conclusions In women with a multiple pregnancy, the use of a cervical pessary did not improve development, behavior or physical outcomes of the surviving children at age 4.
Hypertensive disorders, i.e. pregnancy induced hypertension and preeclampsia, complicate 10 to15% of all pregnancies at term and are a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The only causal treatment is delivery. In case of preterm pregnancies conservative management is advocated if the risks for mother and child remain acceptable. In contrast, there is no consensus on how to manage mild hypertensive disease in pregnancies at term. Induction of labour might prevent maternal and neonatal complications at the expense of increased instrumental vaginal delivery rates and caesarean section rates. Women with a pregnancy complicated by pregnancy induced hypertension or mild preeclampsia at a gestational age between 36+0 and 41+0 weeks will be asked to participate in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Women will be randomised to either induction of labour or expectant management for spontaneous delivery. The primary outcome of this study is severe maternal morbidity, which can be complicated by maternal mortality in rare cases. Secondary outcome measures are neonatal mortality and morbidity, caesarean and vaginal instrumental delivery rates, maternal quality of life and costs. Analysis will be by intention to treat. In total, 720 pregnant women have to be randomised to show a reduction in severe maternal complications of hypertensive disease from 12 to 6%. This trial will provide evidence as to whether or not induction of labour in women with pregnancy induced hypertension or mild preeclampsia (nearly) at term is an effective treatment to prevent severe maternal complications. The protocol is registered in the clinical trial register number ISRCTN08132825.
(Abstracted from Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2016;197:72–77) Preterm birth is the major contributor to perinatal mortality and serious neonatal morbidity, and approximately 30% of all patients admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in the Netherlands are born from a multiple pregnancy. In asymptomatic women with a multiple pregnancy and short cervix, prophylactic use of a cervical pessary might reduce preterm birth.
Objective Cervical length (CL) is associated with the risk of preterm birth (PTB) in multiple pregnancies. However, the position of CL within the pathophysiological pathway of PTB is unclear, and it is unknown which factors are predictive for CL. This study aims to investigate whether in twin pregnancies baseline maternal and obstetrical characteristics are potential indicators for CL, to improve insight in the pathophysiological pathway of PTB. Study Design Secondary analysis of data on twin pregnancies and CL measurement between 16 and 22 weeks. A set of 10 potential indicators, known to be associated with an increased risk of PTB and/or which have a plausible mechanism resulting in a change of CL were selected. We used multivariable linear regression with backward selection to identify independent indicators for CL. Results A total of 1,447 women with twin pregnancies were included. Mean CL was 43.7 (± 8.9) mm. In multivariable analysis, age (0.27 mm/y; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16 to 0.39), use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) (−1.42 mm, 95% CI −2.6 to −0.25), and having delivered at term in a previous pregnancy (1.32 mm, 95% CI 0.25 to 2.39) were significantly associated with CL. Conclusion This study shows that in twin pregnancies, age, use of ART and having delivered term in a previous pregnancy has an association with CL.
Abstract Objective To compare the effects of therapeutic cerclage and bed rest vs. just bed rest on cervical length and to relate these effects to the risk of preterm delivery. Design Cervical length was measured in patients at high risk of cervical incompetence. When a cervical length < 25 mm was measured before 27 weeks' gestation, randomization for therapeutic cerclage and bed rest vs. just bed rest was performed. After randomization, cervical length was measured weekly. For statistical analysis, t ‐test and Fisher's exact tests were used and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Nineteen women were randomly allocated to receive a therapeutic cerclage and bed rest and 16 were allocated to receive bed rest only. Mean cervical lengths and mean gestational ages before randomization were comparable between both groups, overall 19.8 mm and 20.7 weeks. Cervical length was measured again at a mean gestation of 22.1 weeks. Mean cervical length (31 mm) was significantly ( P < 0.0001) longer after cerclage than after bed rest only (19 mm). A cervical length ≥ 25 mm was measured in 22 of the 35 included women, 16 in the cerclage group and six in the bed‐rest group ( P = 0.006). Of these 22 women, only one delivered before 34 weeks' gestation, which was significantly less frequent than six out of 13 women with a cervical length < 25 mm ( P = 0.006). Conclusions Therapeutic cerclage with bed rest increases cervical length more often than bed rest alone. A postintervention cervical length ≥ 25 mm reduces the risk of preterm delivery in women at high risk of cervical incompetence and a preintervention cervical length < 25 mm.
Women with multiple gestations often deliver at less than 37 weeks, increasing the risks of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Treatment with a pessary might prevent preterm birth by changing the inclination of the cervical canal and preventing premature dilatation of the cervix, rupture of the membranes, and deterioration or loss of the cervical mucous plug. This multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial at 40 hospitals was performed to determine whether a cervical pessary could prevent poor perinatal outcomes in parturients with a multiple pregnancy. At 12 to 20 weeks’ gestation, patients were assigned to the pessary or control group; cervical length was measured at 16 to 22 weeks. Women in the study group received an Arabin pessary at 16 to 20 weeks, which was removed in week 36 or in case of preterm premature rupture of the membranes, active vaginal bleeding, other signs of preterm labor, or patient discomfort. Obstetric care was otherwise similar in the 2 groups. The primary outcome was a composite of poor perinatal outcomes, including stillbirth, preventricular leukomalacia, severe respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and neonatal death within 6 weeks after the anticipated term date. Secondary outcomes were time to delivery, preterm birth at less than 32 and less than 37 weeks, days in the neonatal intensive care unit, days of maternal admission for preterm labor, and maternal morbidity. A total of 401 of 403 women in the pessary group and 407 of 410 in the control group completed the study. Five women in the pessary group had a surgical cerclage; 1 patient died, and the others delivered at 21.6 to 36.7 weeks, with 3 having poor perinatal outcomes. No patients in the control group had a cerclage. Vaginal discharge occurred in 104 women (26%) in the pessary group and in none of the controls. The pessary was removed from 57 women (14%) at less than 28 weeks and from 22 women (5%) at 28 to 32 weeks; 7 and 13, respectively, delivered within 48 hours of removal. At 32 to 36 weeks, the pessary was removed from 107 women; 70 delivered within 48 hours. The most common reasons for pessary removal in these women were preterm premature rupture of the membranes, vaginal bleeding, contractions, and induction of labor. The composite poor perinatal outcome occurred in 53 women (13%) and 55 women (14%) in the pessary and control groups, respectively (relative risk (RR), 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.69–1.39). Ten stillbirths (2%) occurred in each group. The other conditions within the composite outcome did not differ between the 2 groups. In the pessary and control groups, 16 and 18 infants, respectively, died before discharge. The groups were similar in median gestational age at delivery; frequencies of delivery at less than 28, less than 32, and less than 37 weeks; and frequency and length of neonatal intensive care unit admission. In the women with a cervical length of less than 25th percentile (<38 mm), the pessary significantly reduced the frequency of poor perinatal outcomes and very preterm delivery. A cervical pessary does not necessarily prevent poor perinatal outcomes or preterm birth in all women with a multiple gestation. Although the pessary had a positive effect in women with a twin pregnancy and a short cervix, these results should be confirmed in additional prospective studies. The safety and low cost of the pessary should be considered when counseling a parturient with a multiple pregnancy and short cervix.
