Progesterone, cervical cerclage or cervical pessary to prevent preterm birth: a decision-making analysis of international guidelines

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate guidelines on preterm birth, analyze decision-criteria, and to identify consensus and discrepancies among these guidelines. DESIGN: Objective consensus analysis of guidelines. SAMPLE: Ten international guidelines on preterm birth. METHODS: Relevant decision criteria were singleton vs. twin pregnancy, history, cervical length, and cervical surgery / trauma or Mullerian anomaly. Eight treatment recommendations were extracted. For each decision-making criteria the most commonly recommended treatment was identified, and the level of consensus was evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Consensus and Discrepancies among recommendations. RESULTS: In a case of singleton pregnancies with no history of preterm birth and shortened cervix, most guidelines recommend progesterone. In singleton pregnancies with a positive history and shortened cervix, all guidelines recommend a cerclage as an option, alternative or conjunct to progesterone. The majority of the guidelines advise against treatment in twin pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: A shortened cervix and a history of preterm birth are relevant in singleton pregnancies. In twins, most guidelines recommend no active treatment. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Among international guidelines a shortened cervix and a history of preterm birth are relevant in singleton pregnancies. With no history of preterm birth and with a shortened cervix most guidelines recommend progesterone treatment.