EVALUATION OF PERINATAL OUTCOMES IN PREGNANT WOMEN WHO UNDERWENT PROPHYLACTIC AND EMERGENCY CERCLAGE

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare prophylactic and emergency (rescue) cerclage procedures in pregnant women diagnosed with cervical insufficiency and to evaluate the effects of these two approaches on pregnancy duration and perinatal outcomes. Material and Methods: Between January 2021 and December 2024, 76 pregnant women diagnosed with cervical insufficiency who underwent McDonald cerclage at a tertiary center were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: those who underwent prophylactic cerclage based on their medical history and those who underwent emergency cerclage based on physical examination or ultrasonographic findings. Demographic characteristics (age, gravida, parity, history of abortion, body mass index), gestational week at cerclage, indication, interval from cerclage to delivery, gestational week at delivery, birth weight, 1st- and 5th-minute Apgar scores, mode of delivery, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) requirement were recorded and compared between the groups. Results: The mean gestational week at cerclage was 14.3±2.3 in the prophylactic group and 21.3±1.8 in the emergency group. The interval from cerclage to delivery and the gestational week at delivery were longer in the prophylactic group (21.89±4.80 weeks / 36.25±3.12 weeks; p