| Methods |
Allocation to treatment policy based on whether year of birth ended in odd or even digit. |
| Participants |
25 pregnant women admitted to hospital with antepartum haemorrhage between 24 and 30 weeks, and found to have apparent placenta praevia [major (20) or minor (5)] on ultrasound examination. |
| Interventions |
The experimental group [13] underwent cervical cerclage (McDonald procedure using 5mm Mersilene band) once the bleeding had settled with prophylactic tocolytic cover (indomethacin rectal suppository followed by oral dose for 48 hours), and planned discharge home 48 hours after cerclage, on oral terbutaline. Women in the control group [12] remained in hospital until delivery; they were treated with oral terbutaline to try to prevent uterine contractions, and were given a course of corticosteroids to accelerate fetal lung maturation once they reached 28 weeks. |
| Outcomes |
Gestational age and infant weight at delivery; need for blood transfusion; caesarean hysterectomy rates; financial costs. |
| Notes |
Although the intervention of greatest interest in this study is cervical cerclage, this was part of a package of care that differed from that offered to women in the control group in other respects (notably in outpatient versus inpatient care). |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
High risk |
C ‐ Inadequate |
