title: Three-dimensional ultrasound power Doppler assessment of the cervix: comparison between nulliparas and multiparas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the sonographic cervical characteristics between nulliparous and multiparous women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transvaginal three-dimensional ultrasound and power Doppler using the virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) program were performed on 71 nulliparas and 59 multiparas at a mean gestational age of 25.3+/-7.9 weeks. We compared the cervical volume and power Doppler vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization-flow index (VFI) between nulliparas and multiparas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean cervical volume and mean VI, VFI, FI measurements were not significantly different between multiparas and nulliparas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations suggest that the morphological changes in the cervix of parous women are merely configurational without a change in cervical mass and vascularization. These configurational changes might result from the inevitable cervical stretching during labor and represent a healing process that does not involve a subsequent change in mass or vascularity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Marmara University School of Medicine, and Marmara University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. alinbasgul@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basgul
authors.forename: Zehra Nese
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Kavak
authors.forename: Nadi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bakirci
authors.forename: Husnu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gokaslan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler