Transvaginal ultrasonography of the uterine cervix in hospitalized women with preterm labor

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between cervical length and the presence of funneling and the risk of preterm delivery. Method: This prospective blind cohort involved 200 hospitalized women with preterm labor in a tertiary care hospital. Women were recruited for a single transvaginal ultrasonography to assess cervical length and presence of funneling. The main outcome measures were: (1) relative risks (RR) and adjusted odds ratios of preterm delivery (< 37 weeks' gestation); (2) time interval between the cervical ultrasonography date to 37 weeks' gestation or to-preterm birth. Results: The RR of preterm delivery according to the cervical length (cut-off of < 30 mm) was 2.79 (95% CI 1.70-4.59). The RR according to the presence of funneling (cut-off of > 5 mm) was 1.39 (95% CI 0.99-1.95), The adjusted odds ratio was 3.92 (95% IC 1.75-8.75) for cervical length and 0.77 (95% CI 0.35-1.67) for funneling. Women with a cervical length of < 30 mm had a significantly shorter interval from ultrasonography date up to 37 weeks' gestation than did women with a cervical length of > 30 mm (P < 0.003). Conclusion: Ultrasonographic mensuration of the cervix provides predictive information on the risk of preterm delivery. (C) 2001 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. All rights reserved.