HEALTH OF WOMAN. 2020.1(147): 8–13; doi 10.15574/HW.2020.147.8
I.V. Lakhno¹, S.V. Коrovay^2
1Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education
²MNE «City Perinatal Center» of Kharkiv City Council

Premature birth is a significant problem in modern medicine. The main aspects of its solution are the prediction and prevention of premature birth. Nowadays, among a large number of biophysical and biochemical markers of preterm birth, ultrasonic cevicometry is the most popular one. It is known that «short cervix syndrome» is not the equivalent of cervical insufficiency. The known strategies of preventive combinations are used in case of an increased risk of preterm birth. Therefore, the issue of developing a differentiated approach to the combined or separate use of progesterone, pessary, or cerclage has not been answered yet. It should be added that in most practical recommendations based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, there are no differences according to the possible pathogenesis of preterm birth.
A therapeutic strategy should be set based on the possible use or misuse of any preventive combination, taking into account maternal and fetal contraindications. The combined testing on ultrasound cervicometry and biochemical markers could ameliorate the identification of patients at risk of preterm birth. The fetal fibronectin is known to be the best among all biochemical markers of preterm birth. However, the prognostic value of this test, as well as the phosphorylated transport protein insulin-like growth factor, when used separately, is limited. In pregnant women with a length of the cervix between 1.5 cm and 3 cm, it is recommended to use the analysis for placental alpha-microglobulin-1. The administration of corticosteroids should only be performed when the risk of preterm delivery is confirmed by decreased cervical length and a positive test for placental alpha-microglobulin-1 (there is a high risk of preterm delivery within 7 days).
The cerclage is indicated in patients with cervical insufficiency before 16 weeks of gestation. In the presence of a «short cervix» and the lack of anamnestic data, the strategy should be individualized. The efficacy of cerclage or pessary application has not been proven. It is necessary to start with vaginal progesterone administration. In the process of the patient observation (cervicometry in dynamics) will allow you to find out an effective method: cerclage or pessary and vaginal progesterone. In the case of progredient cervical effacement in the second trimester, it is advisable to perform an urgent cerclage.
In the case of incompetent cervical stitch, the additional application of a pessary is possible. In women with multiple pregnancies, there is no evidence of elective cerclage or pessary efficacy. However, it is possible to use heroic cerclage, pessary in combination with vaginal progesterone or vaginal progesterone monotherapy.
Key words: preterm delivery, prediction, prevention.

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