Transvaginal ultrasonography of the uterine cervix in hospitalized women with preterm labor.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the relation between cervical length and the presence of funneling and the risk of preterm delivery.


METHODS
This prospective blind cohort involved 200 hospitalized women with preterm labor in a tertiary care hospital. Women were recruited for a single transvaginal ultrasonography to assess cervical length and presence of funneling. The main outcome measures were: (1) relative risks (RR) and adjusted odds ratios of preterm delivery (<37 weeks' gestation); (2) time interval between the cervical ultrasonography date to 37 weeks' gestation or to-preterm birth.


RESULTS
The RR of preterm delivery according to the cervical length (cut-off of <30 mm) was 2.79 (95% CI 1.70--4.59). The RR according to the presence of funneling (cut-off of >5 mm) was 1.39 (95% CI 0.99--1.95). The adjusted odds ratio was 3.92 (95% IC 1.75--8.75) for cervical length and 0.77 (95% CI 0.35--1.67) for funneling. Women with a cervical length of <30 mm had a significantly shorter interval from ultrasonography date up to 37 weeks' gestation than did women with a cervical length of >30 mm (P<0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasonographic mensuration of the cervix provides predictive information on the risk of preterm delivery.
Vendittelli
F
F
Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, CHRU de Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, French West Indies.
Mamelle
N
N
Munoz
F
F
Janky
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020070:Cervical Ripening / Q000502:physiology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity