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CompletedNCT03859258Updated Oct 18, 2021

Ultrasound Based Study For Niche Development In The Uterine Cesarean Section Scar

An observational study in Cesarean Section; Dehiscence, sponsored by Cairo University. Completed at 1 site in Egypt. Open to female participants aged 20 Years to 40 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-10-18.

Sponsored by Cairo University · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
221
Ages
20 Years to 40 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate different factors affecting niche development in the uterine cesarean section scar in women enrolled 3 to 6 months after cesarean delivery using both TVS and SIS.

Read the detailed description

Cesarean delivery is amongst the most widely recognized operations performed on women and its rate continue expanding. The rates of cesarean section (CS) in the United States in 1996 and 2009 were 20.7% and 32.3% respectively, witnessing an expansion of more than half. In China, 50% of deliveries in 2010 were through CS. In the Netherlands, the cesarean delivery rate jumped from 7.4 to 15.8% between 1990 and 2008, whereas in the United Kingdom, the CS rate increased from 12 to 29% throughout the same time period. In Brazil, the CS rate jumped from 15% in 1970 to even 80% in 2004.

The expanding rate of cesarean deliveries can be credited to many variables including an increase in repeated cesarean sections. There is no discourse that CS is a lifesaving method for a few women, for instance for women with placenta previa or obstructed labor, or for fetuses with either antenatal or intrapartum distress, breech pregnancy or a twin pregnancy. The World Health Organization suggests that the ideal CS rate should be 15%.

Also, this expanding CS rate has fortified an enthusiasm for the potential long-term morbidity of CS scars. By and large, the cesarean incision heals uneventfully. However, some authors depicted a cesarean scar defect on transvaginal sonography (TVS) or saline infusion sonography (SIS) as a wedge shape anechoic structure at the site of the scar or a gap in anterior myometrium of the anterior lower myometrium at the site of previous cesarean section site. This was first described using hysterosalpingography in 1961. The terminology used to describe these scar abnormalities include scar defects, or 'niches' in the uterine scar, cesarean scar defect, uterine diverticulum, uterine isthmocele, pouch or sacculation and differs various publications. The term 'niche', which was introduced in 2001. A niche appears to be frequently present after a CS. Using SIS, niches were identified in the scar in more than half of the women who had had a caesarean delivery. Niches were defined as indentations of the myometrium of at least 2 mm. Large niches occur less frequently, with an incidence varying from 11 to 45% dependent on the definition used (a depth of at least 50 or 80% of the anterior myometrium, or the remaining myometrial thickness ≤2.2 mm when evaluated by TVS and ≤2.5 mm when evaluated by sonohysterography).

It is usually asymptomatic. Be that as it may, some authors have described some symptoms identified with this condition and there are several studies relating abnormal uterine bleeding and niche, especially postmenstrual spotting which appears to be the most common symptom in women with niches due to the collection of menstrual blood in a uterine scar defect causing postmenstrual spotting.

Later prospective cohort studies reported spotting in ∼30% of women with a niche at 6- 12 months after their CS compared with 15% of women without a niche after CS. It is undoubtedly a generally new pathology that needs assessment.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cesarean Section; Dehiscence
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Cairo University is the lead sponsor of 4,780 studies on the registry; 1,427 are open to participants now.

Of its 36 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (14%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years to 40 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Pregnant women

Inclusion criteria

  1. Cases are delivered by Lower segment cesarean section
  2. Controls are delivered vaginally
  3. Singleton fetus
  4. Living fetus
  5. Term pregnancy

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Placenta praevia
  2. Congenital fetal anomalies
  3. Severe oligohydramnios(MVP \<2cm)
  4. Rupture of membranes more than 18 hours
  5. Puerperal pyrexia or sepsis
  6. Bladder injury
  7. Blood transfusion
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
221 participants (actual)
Target follow-up
3 Months
Patient registry
Yes

Groups and cohorts

  • Patient having Cesarean section

    Transvaginal sonography for patients having ceserean section to assess uterine Niche development and parameters

    Device: Transvaginal sonography

  • Patient delivered vaginally

    Transvaginal sonography for patients having vaginal delivery to confirm absence of uterine Niche development

    Device: Transvaginal sonography

Interventions

  • DeviceTransvaginal sonography

    Niche is assessed using TVS, SIS (cases only) and office hysteroscopy

    Also known as: SIS, office hysteroscopy

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Rate of Niche development in the uterine cesarean section scar

    Measure number of patients that will develop uterine Niche following lower segment cesarean section

    Time frame: baseline

Secondary outcomes

  1. Measuring Residual myometrial thickness (RMT)

    Measuring the remaining myometrium above uterine Niche

    Time frame: baseline

  2. Measuring depth of uterine Niche

    Measuring the depth of cesarean scar defect developed after cesarean section

    Time frame: baseline

  3. Measuring width of uterine Niche

    Measuring the width of cesarean scar defect developed after cesarean section

    Time frame: baseline

  4. Assessment of potential risk factors for Niche development

    Detect why Niche develop

    Time frame: baseline

  5. Rate of postmenstrual spotting in patients with uterine Niche

    Measure number of patients having uterine Niche that will complain from postmenstrual spotting

    Time frame: baseline

  6. Rate of uterine Isthmocele development on hysteroscopic evaluation in patients presenting with postmenstrual spotting after cesarean section

    Measure number of patients having uterine Isthmocele detected during hysteroscopic evaluation from all patients presenting with postmenstrual spotting

    Time frame: basline

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Cairo University
    Cairo, 113411, Egypt
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Barros AJ, Santos IS, Matijasevich A, Domingues MR, Silveira M, Barros FC, Victora CG. Patterns of deliveries in a Brazilian birth cohort: almost universal cesarean sections for the better-off. Rev Saude Publica. 2011 Aug;45(4):635-43. doi: 10.1590/s0034-89102011005000039. Epub 2011 Jun 10. PubMed 21670862 ↗
  • Betran AP, Merialdi M, Lauer JA, Bing-Shun W, Thomas J, Van Look P, Wagner M. Rates of caesarean section: analysis of global, regional and national estimates. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2007 Mar;21(2):98-113. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2007.00786.x. PubMed 17302638 ↗
  • Bij de Vaate AJ, Brolmann HA, van der Voet LF, van der Slikke JW, Veersema S, Huirne JA. Ultrasound evaluation of the Cesarean scar: relation between a niche and postmenstrual spotting. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Jan;37(1):93-9. doi: 10.1002/uog.8864. PubMed 21031351 ↗
  • Bij de Vaate AJ, van der Voet LF, Naji O, Witmer M, Veersema S, Brolmann HA, Bourne T, Huirne JA. Prevalence, potential risk factors for development and symptoms related to the presence of uterine niches following Cesarean section: systematic review. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Apr;43(4):372-82. doi: 10.1002/uog.13199. PubMed 23996650 ↗
  • Clark EA, Silver RM. Long-term maternal morbidity associated with repeat cesarean delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Dec;205(6 Suppl):S2-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.09.028. Epub 2011 Oct 6. PubMed 22114995 ↗
  • Deng W, Klemetti R, Long Q, Wu Z, Duan C, Zhang WH, Ronsmans C, Zhang Y, Hemminki E. Cesarean section in Shanghai: women's or healthcare provider's preferences? BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2014 Aug 22;14:285. doi: 10.1186/1471-2393-14-285. PubMed 25148697 ↗
  • Vervoort AJ, Uittenbogaard LB, Hehenkamp WJ, Brolmann HA, Mol BW, Huirne JA. Why do niches develop in Caesarean uterine scars? Hypotheses on the aetiology of niche development. Hum Reprod. 2015 Dec;30(12):2695-702. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dev240. Epub 2015 Sep 25. PubMed 26409016 ↗
  • Feng XL, Wang Y, An L, Ronsmans C. Cesarean section in the People's Republic of China: current perspectives. Int J Womens Health. 2014 Jan 9;6:59-74. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S41410. eCollection 2014. PubMed 24470775 ↗
  • Hofmeyr GJ, Hannah M, Lawrie TA. Planned caesarean section for term breech delivery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jul 21;2015(7):CD000166. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000166.pub2. PubMed 26196961 ↗
  • Monteagudo A, Carreno C, Timor-Tritsch IE. Saline infusion sonohysterography in nonpregnant women with previous cesarean delivery: the "niche" in the scar. J Ultrasound Med. 2001 Oct;20(10):1105-15. doi: 10.7863/jum.2001.20.10.1105. PubMed 11587017 ↗
  • Naji O, Abdallah Y, Bij De Vaate AJ, Smith A, Pexsters A, Stalder C, McIndoe A, Ghaem-Maghami S, Lees C, Brolmann HA, Huirne JA, Timmerman D, Bourne T. Standardized approach for imaging and measuring Cesarean section scars using ultrasonography. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Mar;39(3):252-9. doi: 10.1002/uog.10077. PubMed 21858885 ↗
  • Osser OV, Jokubkiene L, Valentin L. High prevalence of defects in Cesarean section scars at transvaginal ultrasound examination. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Jul;34(1):90-7. doi: 10.1002/uog.6395. PubMed 19499514 ↗
  • Osterman MJ, Martin JA. Primary cesarean delivery rates, by state: results from the revised birth certificate, 2006-2012. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2014 Jan;63(1):1-11. PubMed 24461076 ↗
  • POIDEVIN LO. The value of hysterography in the prediction of cesarean section wound defects. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1961 Jan;81:67-71. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(16)36308-6. No abstract available. PubMed 13736585 ↗
  • Roberts CL, Algert CS, Nippita TA, Bowen JR, Shand AW. Association of prelabor cesarean delivery with reduced mortality in twins born near term. Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Jan;125(1):103-110. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000578. PubMed 25560111 ↗
  • Silver RM. Delivery after previous cesarean: long-term maternal outcomes. Semin Perinatol. 2010 Aug;34(4):258-66. doi: 10.1053/j.semperi.2010.03.006. PubMed 20654776 ↗
  • Thurmond AS, Harvey WJ, Smith SA. Cesarean section scar as a cause of abnormal vaginal bleeding: diagnosis by sonohysterography. J Ultrasound Med. 1999 Jan;18(1):13-6; quiz 17-8. doi: 10.7863/jum.1999.18.1.13. PubMed 9952074 ↗
  • van der Voet LF, Bij de Vaate AM, Veersema S, Brolmann HA, Huirne JA. Long-term complications of caesarean section. The niche in the scar: a prospective cohort study on niche prevalence and its relation to abnormal uterine bleeding. BJOG. 2014 Jan;121(2):236-44. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.12542. PubMed 24373597 ↗
  • Weiniger CF, Lyell DJ, Tsen LC, Butwick AJ, Shachar B, Callaghan WM, Creanga AA, Bateman BT. Maternal outcomes of term breech presentation delivery: impact of successful external cephalic version in a nationwide sample of delivery admissions in the United States. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016 Jul 8;16(1):150. doi: 10.1186/s12884-016-0941-9. PubMed 27392035 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 18, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03859258
Lead sponsor
Cairo University
Responsible party
Mohammed Raafat Abdelfatah Mohamed Said (Assistant lecturer of obstetrics and gynecology, Cairo University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Mar 1, 2019
Start date
Jul 1, 2017
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2019
Completion
Jul 30, 2019
Last update
Oct 18, 2021

Study contacts

Mona M Aboulghar, M.D.
principal investigator · Cairo University
Hassan M Gaafar, M.D.
principal investigator · Cairo University
Hisham M Haggag, M.D.
principal investigator · Cairo University

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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