[Are there still indications for cerclage in 1995?].

Aim: In order to assess their undertook a retrospective study in their department over a 4 year period: from January 1991 to December 1994.

Method: the study concerned 129 patients who were treated by cerclage. This procedure was performed prophylactically in the great majority of them (97), while it was carried out as an emergency in 32 (25%).

Results: the authors drew a distinction between two groups (prophylactic and emergency suture) when analyzing the various results: complications due to suture, mean age of pregnancy at delivery, threatened premature labor, mean length of prolongation obtained. These personal data formed the basis of a review of the literature, in order to specify the indications for suture adopted by various authors at the present time.

Conclusion: the authors found themselves to be in agreement with data from the literature, considering a history of at least two obstetric accidents (late abortions) and/or the existence of a severe uterine malformation to be the principal indication for prophylactic suture. "Emergency" suture should be performed whenever there is a serious threat of early premature labor in the presence of cervical changes such that suture offers the only chance of prolonging the pregnancy.