title: Cervical length in adolescents versus adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Two of the known risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) are short cervical length (CL) ≤ 25 mm and adolescence (≤19 years). Our objective was to evaluate whether adolescent women have a higher incidence of short CL compared to their 20-24 year old counterparts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort of nulliparous singleton gestations undergoing universal second trimester transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) CL screening between January 2012 and June 2013. Adolescent women ≤19 years of age were compared to women 20-24 years of age. Primary outcomes were mean CL and incidence of CL ≤25 mm. Secondary outcomes were incidence of PTB <37 weeks, delivery mode, birth weight, and NICU admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and five adolescents and 236 women 20-24 years underwent TVU CL screening. There was no difference in mean CL (40.6 mm vs. 40.6 mm, p = 0.51) or incidence of CL ≤25 mm (1.0% vs. 1.7%; OR 0.56 [0.06-5.1]). After controlling for maternal differences, there still was no significant correlation between maternal age and CL. There was no significant difference in PTB, birth weight, or NICU admission between the groups. CL measurements did not significantly differ across all maternal ages (14-42 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no difference in mean CL or incidence of CL ≤25 mm among adolescents compared to women 20-24 years.
authors.affiliation: a Joan and Sanford I Weill Medical College of Cornell University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Jessica N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.affiliation: b Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Virginia Hospital Center , Arlington , VA , USA.
authors.forename: Kelly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Orzechowski
authors.affiliation: c Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Jason K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.affiliation: c Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berghella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D054791:Cervical Length Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; cervical length; preterm birth