Cervical lacerations: some surprising facts

Our aim was to calculate the incidence of cervical lacerations after vaginal delivery and to study its associated risk factors.

A retrospective chart review of all patients with a cervical laceration after vaginal delivery during a 5 year period was performed. Their risk factors were studied. A chi2 test and Bonferroni's correction were applied. The relative risk, P values, and confidence intervals were calculated.

Thirty-two patients of 16,931 vaginal deliveries had a cervical laceration for an incidence of 0.2%. Cervical cerclage was associated with an 11.5-fold increase (95% confidence interval 4.1 to 33.3) and induction of labor with a 3.1-fold increase (95% confidence interval 1.5 to 6.7) in the rate of cervical lacerations. Vacuum and forceps deliveries were not noted to be significant risk factors.

We noted an association of cervical lacerations with cervical cerclage and induction of labor. We were unable to detect an association with cervical lacerations and operative vaginal delivery.