Abstract: Objective: To determine the time interval between elective removal of a cervical cerclage to the onset of spontaneous labour in women who had either a history- or ultrasound-indicated cervical cerclage. Study design: A retrospective cohort study of women with a singleton pregnancy that had either a modified Shirodkar or McDonald cervical cerclage inserted were evaluated for the time interval between elective cerclage removal and onset of spontaneous labour and also spontaneous labour with 72h of cervical cerclage removal. Results: Two hundred and sixty-nine singleton pregnancies with either a modified Shirodkar or McDonald cervical cerclage were analysed. The mean gestational age at cerclage removal was 36.7±1.10 weeks and gestational age at spontaneous labour was 39.0±1.94 weeks (mean±SD). The median interval between cerclage removal and spontaneous labour was 14 days. Only 18% of women laboured spontaneously within 72h. Women with ultrasound-indicated cerclage were more likely to deliver within 72h, compared with women with a history-indicated cervical cerclage (odds ratio, 3.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.31–10.85, p =0.01). Conclusion: Independent of the indication or technique used for cervical cerclage, the rate of early spontaneous labour following elective removal of cervical cerclage is sufficiently low to justify outpatient management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]