title: Is short stature associated with short cervical length?
abstract: We sought to estimate if there is a correlation between maternal height and cervical length in women at high risk for preterm birth. We studied a retrospective cohort of women with singleton gestation and risk factors for preterm birth. Maternal height was categorized as short (<157.5 cm) or not short stature (≥157.5 cm). Cervical length at 14 to 24 weeks was evaluated. Primary outcomes were incidence of initial cervical length <30 mm and incidence of shortest cervical length <25 mm. Four hundred sixteen women met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-two (22.6%) of the short women and 79 (24.5%) of the nonshort women had an initial cervical length <30 mm ( P = 0.81). Twenty-two (23.7%) of the short women and 104 (32.2%) of the nonshort women had a cervical length <25 mm for shortest cervical length measurement ( P = 0.15). In women with singleton gestation and risk factors for preterm birth, no statistically significant relationship exists between maternal height and initial or shortest cervical length.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Caroline K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Gagel
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Rafael
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berghella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D054791:Cervical Length Measurement; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult