Surgical treatment of incompetent cervix.

A comparison of multiple factors in the surgical management of cervical incompetence was carried out in 114 procedures. Factors examined included training level of the operator, gestational age, cervical effacement and dilation at the time of operation, diagnostic evaluation, Shirodkar or McDonald procedure, year of the procedure, and tocolytic therapy. The endpoint for successful outcome was defined as 37 weeks or newborn weighing over 2500 gm rather than neonatal survival, thus differing from previous studies. All patients were delivered vaginally unless there was an obstetric indication for cesarean delivery. The most important determinants of a term birth in patients with incompetent cervix were operator experience and the use of a Shirodkar procedure.