title: Cervical length and risk of antepartum hemorrhage in presence of low-lying placenta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether transvaginal ultrasound cervical length (TVU CL) can predict antepartum bleeding (APB) in women with low-lying placenta.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was performed including pregnancies with low-lying placenta for which third trimester TVU CL was available. Multiple pregnancies were excluded. Short cervix was defined as TVU CL ≤25 mm. Outcomes of interest were compared with respect to the TVU CL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty three cases of singleton pregnancies complicated by low-lying placenta in third trimester were identified. Short cervix was reported in 8 cases (19%). APB (75% vs. 31 %, p = 0.02), blood transfusions (25% vs. 3%, p = 0.02), lower birth weight (2246 vs. 2985 g, p = 0.02), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions (50% vs. 17%, p = 0.04) were more frequent in the women with short cervix. Rate of unplanned cesarean delivery for APB was similar between both the groups (25% vs. 28%, p = 0.83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In women with low-lying placenta persisting into third trimester, short cervical length can be used as a predictor for APB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curti
authors.forename: Sushma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potti
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Di Donato
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simonazzi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berghella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010923:Placenta Previa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*