title: Forces required for dilatation of human cervix in first trimester of pregnancy.
abstract: Cervical resistance to dilatation was measured in 76 patients undergoing first trimester legal abortion; a specially designed force-sensing instrument was used. No correlation between cervical resistance and patient age or gestational age was found. Increasing parity and earlier legal abortions were significantly correlated with a lowering of the cervical resistance. In patients dilated to 11 mm a lowering of resistance was noted suggesting a tear in cervical tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska Institute, Danderyds Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brundin
mesh_terms: D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000502:physiology*; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First