Arabin Pessary in women with twin pregnancy, Pilot
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The use of the Arabin pessary to prevent preterm birth in twin pregnancy, Pilot
IRAS ID
143444
Contact name
Jane E. Norman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Research summary
Women with a twin pregnancy are at very high risk of having a preterm birth. The extra risk of preterm birth in twin pregnancy is the main reason why twin babies are five times more likely to die both within the first one month and within the first one year of life. Babies who survive are at increased risk of long term disability, and require a lot of expensive healthcare. The Arabin cervical pessary is currently used to reduce pre-term birth in women. A Dutch study which finished late last year has suggested that the cervical pessary might prevent pre-term birth in twins as it appeared to reduce pre-term birth in those women with a twin pregnancy who had a short cervix.
However, before introducing the pessary widely in the UK we want to ascertain women's views and experience of using the pessary to inform a future large multi-centre study. Before women with a twin pregnancy and a short cervix are offered this treatment in the UK, we need to be certain about the benefits and the risks of this approach.
In this pilot study, we propose to recruit appox. 20 women willing to have the Arabin pessary inserted between 18+0 and 20+6 weeks gestation and explore their experience of pregnancy with an Arabin pessary through a questionnaire issued at 36 weeks gestation, after the pessary has been removed. The information obtained will then be used to develop a larger study of Arabin pessary which will aim to find out if the Arabin cervical pessary prevents preterm birth in women with a twin pregnancy and a short cervix.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SW/1013
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion