[How objective is clinical determination of cervix consistency?].
OBJECTIVE
to establish and classify various degrees of rigidity of portio-shaped silicone samples tested by obstetricians, midwives and non-medical staff by touching.


METHODS
to carry out the test, samples with different degrees of rigidity, achieved by varying the components mixed together, had to be produced. Five samples of different rigidity were touched by 91 testers and were classified according to the medical term "soft", "medium", or "rigid".


RESULTS
The rigidity established could be associated to normal technical dimensions, like Shore-rigidity for example. The spread of the answers given confirms the need for equipment to objectify the determination of cervix consistency.


CONCLUSIONS
Possible reasons why the spread was relatively wide, in addition to individual subjectivity, may lie in the different nature of the silicone model and a cervix in vivo and may also be due to the testing conditions.
Machui
O
O
Abteilung für Geburtsmedizin und Arbeitsgruppe Perinatale Medizin, Virchow-Klinikum, Medizinische Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Blücher
U
U
Dudenhausen
J W
JW
D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012828:Silicones
D012828:Silicones