title: The association of a cervical length of <25 mm in high-risk pregnancies on neonatal morbidity and mortality in preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the effects of a short cervix (<25 mm) on neonatal morbidity and mortality as opposed to a normal cervical length (≥25 mm). The predictive value of a short cervix on neonatal outcome is also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and whose mothers had undergone a pre-delivery evaluation for cervical length (CL) and cervical cultures were included in the study. Infants were stratified into two groups based on CL measurements (Group 1, CL < 25 mm; Group 2, CL ≥ 25 mm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 203 infants were included in the final analysis. Group 1 consisted of 105 neonates while Group 2 had 98 newborns. Cervical culture positivity rate was 46.7 % (n = 49) in Group 1 compared to 19.4 % (n = 19) in Group 2 (p = 0.0001). Frequencies of early onset neonatal sepsis (EOS) in Group 1 and Group 2 were 31.5 and 18.4 %, respectively (p = 0.032), whereas respective frequencies of proven sepsis in the two groups were 18.1 and 8.2 % (p = 0.037). A CL < 25 mm was found to increase the risk of cervical culture positivity, EOS and proven EOS by odds ratios of 3.63, 2.03 and 2.48, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first clinical study to demonstrate a significant link between CL and each of cervical culture positivity, EOS and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Preterm infants born to high-risk mothers with short CL should be monitored closely for the risk of EOS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Teaching Hospital, 06230, Ankara, Turkey. dryekta@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Yekta
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Oncel
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arayici
authors.forename: Sevki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celen
authors.forename: Gulsum
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kadioglu Simsek
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oskovi
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uras
authors.forename: Serife Suna
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erdeve
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Danisman
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dilmen
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D009017:Morbidity; D011247:Pregnancy; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014463:Ultrasonography