title: Natural history of cervical funneling in women at high risk for spontaneous preterm birth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the natural history of funneling in the second trimester by transvaginal ultrasonograms and whether funneling increases the risk of spontaneous birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of a blinded, multi-center observational study of women with at least one prior spontaneous preterm birth at 16.0-31.9 weeks who subsequently carried singleton gestations. Cervical length, funneling (membrane prolapse greater than or equal to 5 mm), funnel shape, and dynamic changes were recorded at 16-18 weeks, and then every 2 weeks until 23.9 weeks. Managing obstetricians were blinded to the ultrasonography results. The primary outcome was gestational age at delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hundred ninety scans were performed in 183 women, of which 60 (33%) had funneling observed on at least one of the serial evaluations. These 60 women delivered at an earlier gestational age at delivery than the 123 women without funneling (31.7+/-7.9 weeks compared with 36.9+/-4.4 weeks; P<.001). In the 60 women with funneling on at least one evaluation, the progression over time of internal os cervical anatomy from a "T" to a "V" to a "U" shape was associated with earlier gestational age at delivery, whereas resolution of "V" shape funnels was associated with term delivery. Women with a shortened cervical length less than 25 mm (n=60) had a similar gestational age at birth with or without funneling (30.6+/-8.0 weeks compared with 31.9+/-6.6 weeks; P=.59). After controlling for the shortest observed cervical length, largest funnel percent was not a significant independent risk factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The natural history of second-trimester funneling has significant variability and a significant association with earlier gestational age at delivery. As an independent finding, funneling does not add appreciably to the risk of early gestational age at delivery associated with a shortened cervical length.
  
  
  METHODS
  II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. vincenzo.berghella@jefferson.edu
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berghella
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Cora
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: MacPherson
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yost
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dildy
authors.forename: Menachem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miodovnik
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Baha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sibai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*