To investigate the efficacy of cervical pessary placement in preventing preterm birth and perinatal morbidity and mortality in asymptomatic women with a singleton pregnancy and a short cervix, we searched literature in relevant databases. The meta-analysis of the 3 included trials (1412 women) showed cervical pessary placement did not reduce the risk of spontaneous preterm birth <34 weeks in these women (risk ratio (RR), 0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.21-2.43, P = 0.59; I2 = 90%). The sensitivity analyses by excluding one trial at one time showed the same results. This meta-analysis also showed that cervical pessary did not prevent preterm birth <34, 30, 28 weeks and was not associated with respiratory distress syndrome, necrotising enterocolitis, intraventricular haemorrhage, neonatal sepsis, retinopathy of prematurity, fetal death, neonatal death, perinatal death, birth weight <1500 g, birth weight <2500 g, premature preterm rupture of membranes, corticosteroid treatment for fetal maturation, and admission to neonatal intensive care unit. Although this meta-analysis showed cervical pessary placement did not reduce the risk of preterm birth in women with a singleton pregnancy and a short cervix, we could not confirm or refute this conclusion, and large-scale randomised controlled trials are urgently needed.