Elective Cervical Suture of Twin Pregnancies Diagnosed Ultrasonically in the First Trimester following Induced Ovulation

Abstract

The efficiency of elective cervical suture in preventing premature delivery thus reducing neonatal mortality was studied in a group of 50 twin pregnancies. All pregnancies occurred after induction of ovulation and twins were diagnosed early by ultrasound. 25 randomly selected patients underwent elective cervical suture. 22 sutured and 23 non-sutured patients were followed until delivery, while 5 patients aborted in the second trimester. The benefit of suturing on the duration of pregnancy and its outcome were assessed. Of the sutured patients, 10 (45.4%) delivered prematurely and the neonatal death rate was 18.2%. In the non-sutured patients, 11 (47.8%) delivered prematurely and the neonatal death rate was 15.2%. This study demonstrates that elective cervical suture was not effective in prolonging gestation or improving fetal outcome in twin pregnancies following induced ovulation.