CERVICAL INCOMPETENCE AND PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN JOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL: A FOUR-YEAR REVIEW

Abstract Background: Cervical incompetence continues to pose achallenge to the obstetrican as a cause of repeated midtrimesterabortion.Several observational studies into the efficacy ofcervical Cerclage have claimed high rates of successfulpregnancy outcome in women with poor obstetric historyattributed to cervical incompetence.Objectives: The objectives of the study are to determine theprevalence of cervical incompetence in Jos University TeachingHospital (JUTH), the complications of the treatment modalities,and the pregnancy outcome.Study design, setting and subject: This is a 4 years retrospectivereview of 144 pregnancies in (135) patients with cervicalincompetence in the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Patientsdiagnosed to have cervical incompetence and who had cervicalCerclage, antenatal care and delivery in the Jos UniversityTeaching Hospital, Jos, formed the study population.Main outcome measures:Prevalence, post insertioncomplications and Pregnancy outcome, among patients withcervical incompetence who had cervical cerclage in JosUniversity Teaching Hospital, Jos Plateau state.Results: A total of one hundred and fourty four pregnancies werereviewed retrospectively in one hundred and thirty five patientswith cervical incompetence over a four-year period. Thediagnosis of cervical incompetence was established by history63% of pregnancies, and by ultra-sonography in 35% ofpregnancies. The McDonald technique of repair was employed in90% of the cases. The incidence of cervical incompetence over theperiod of review was 1 in every 69 deliveries. The most commonpost insertion complications were premature rupture ofmembranes (20.8%) Vulvovaginitis (16%) and urinary tractinfection (10.5%). The term births accounted for 62.5% andpreterm births for 22.9%, with overall fetal salvage of 85.4%. Author Affiliations:Department of Obstetrics andGynaecology,Bayero University/Aminu KanoTeaching Hospital, Kano Corresponding Author;Dr S A Ibrahim,Department of Obstetrics andGynaecology, Aminu Kano TeachingHospital, Kano. PMB 3452, Kano Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Keywords:Cervical incompetence, pregnancyoutcome, JUTH