Abstract
Preterm birth is considered one of the main etiologies of neonatal death, as well as short- and long-term disability worldwide. A number of pathophysiological processes take place in the final unifying factor of cervical modifications that leads to preterm birth. In women at high risk for preterm birth, cervical assessment is commonly used for prediction and further risk stratification. This review outlines the rationale for cervical length screening for preterm birth prediction in different clinical settings within existing and evolving new technologies to assess cervical remodeling.
Highlights
Regardless of obstetrical history, the risk of spontaneous PTB (sPTB) is inversely proportional to cervical length [8], while women with both a history of a Preterm birth (PTB) and a short cervix being at the highest risk [9]
As research addressing this topic is heterogenic with regards to the population that was studied [7] and the clinical scenarios in which cervical length (CL) was used for predicting PTB, it is important to address those aspects to optimize the use of this important tool
As CL assessment is debatable as a universal screening tool, more data has emerged, examining its value in predicting PTB in specific populations of women considered at high risk of preterm birth
Summary
Preterm birth (PTB), defined as delivery that occurs between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation, is a major obstetric and global health concern with a rate of 5–18% of pregnancies worldwide [1]. All mechanisms for PTB alignment with the final unifying process of cervical remodeling [3] According to this rationale, a cervical assessment may potentially detect preliminary pathological changes prior to the onset of overt symptoms and signs of PTB. A cervical assessment may potentially detect preliminary pathological changes prior to the onset of overt symptoms and signs of PTB This may be beneficial for preventive measures of PTB.
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