title: Cervical strain determined by ultrasound elastography and its association with spontaneous preterm delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if there is an association between cervical strain, evaluated using ultrasound elastography, and spontaneous preterm delivery (sPTD) <37 weeks of gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty nine (189) women at 16-24 weeks of gestation were evaluated. Ultrasound elastography was used to estimate cervical strain in three anatomical planes: one mid-sagittal in the same plane used for cervical length measurement, and two cross sectional images: one at the level of the internal cervical os, and the other at the level of the external cervical os. In each plane, two regions of interest (endocervix and entire cervix) were examined; a total of six regions of interest were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of sPTD was 11% (21/189). Strain values from each of the six cervical regions correlated weakly with cervical length (from r=-0.24, P<0.001 to r=-0.03, P=0.69). Strain measurements obtained in a cross sectional view of the internal cervical os were significantly associated with sPTD. Women with strain values ≤25th centile in the endocervical canal (0.19) and in the entire cervix (0.14) were 80% less likely to have a sPTD than women with strain values >25th centile [endocervical: odds ratio (OR) 0.2; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.03-0.96; entire cervix: OR 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03-0.9]. Additional adjustment for gestational age, race, smoking status, parity, maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, and previous preterm delivery did not appreciably alter the magnitude or statistical significance of these associations. Strain values obtained from the external cervical os and from the sagittal view were not associated with sPTD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low strain values in the internal cervical os were associated with a significantly lower risk of spontaneous preterm delivery <37 weeks of gestation.
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Andrade
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Korzeniewski
authors.forename: Hyunyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aurioles-Garibay
authors.forename: Maynor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Alyse G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Lami
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Tinnakorn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaiworapongsa
authors.forename: Sonia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054791:Cervical Length Measurement; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D055815:Young Adult