title: Repeat Measurement of Cervical Length in Women with Threatened Preterm Labor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the value of a repeat measurement some days after the first cervical length measurement done at the time of preterm contractions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study involving women with singleton pregnancies who presented with preterm contractions at 24 to 33 + 6 weeks of gestation. The cervical length was measured at the time of presentation and some days afterwards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population consisted of 17 cases with a preterm delivery within 14 days and 288 uneventful pregnancies. Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between delivery within 14 days and both, the first and second cervical length measurements as well as the difference between the two measurements. Up to a false positive rate of 20 %, ROC curve analysis showed an improved detection rate for preterm delivery by inluding both measurements. At a false positive rate of 10 % - which corresponds to a first and second cervical length of 10 and 9 mm - the detection rate was 17.6 % with the first cervical length measurement, 47.0 % with the second and 52.9 % if the difference between both measurements was added.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that in women with symptoms of preterm labor it is worth to repeat the measurement some days later and to take into account the difference between both measurements.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Wagner
authors: Fetal Medicine Foundation USA, Dayton, OH, USA; Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Sonek
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Heidemeyer
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Feto-maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Schmid
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Abele
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hoopmann
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: K O
authors: KO
authors: Kagan
keywords: cervical length; labor; preterm delivery; ultrasonography