title: Relationship between cervical dilation and time to delivery in women with preterm labor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early recognition of the signs and symptoms of preterm labor (PTL) is important in order to establish treatment. Our aim was to determine the relation between cervical dilatation and time interval from admission to delivery in women with preterm labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 83 singleton gestations admitted for preterm labor between 24 weeks and 34 weeks, who subsequently delivered preterm. Women were categorized into three groups of cervical dilatation (0-2 cm, 3-6 cm, >6 cm) and the time interval from admission to delivery was compared. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the association between cervical dilatation and time interval from admission to delivery. The other variables examined were gestational age (GA) at admission and length of the cervix, when performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The time interval from admission to delivery was significantly shorter in women with higher dilatation of the cervix (p < 0.02) and in those admitted at a more advanced gestational age (p < 0.05). Forty-eight percent of women with cervical dilatation 0-2 cm delivered in the first 48 h compared to 85% of the women with a dilatation of 3-6 cm. No significant association was found between the length of the cervix and the time interval to delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dilatation of the cervix and gestational age at admission are associated with the time interval to delivery in women with preterm labor. The assessment of the length of the cervix is unlikely to add clinical information in women with an already dilated cervix.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Tommaso
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seravalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vellucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cozzolino
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spitaleri
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Susini
keywords: Length of cervix; gestational age; obstetric labor; premature birth; uterine cervix dilatation