Prediction of Preterm Delivery From the Endocervical Length at 11 to 14 Weeks

Abstract

Background and Objectives Premature delivery is called delivery before 37 weeks. It is estimated that every year, about 15 million babies are born with preterm delivery worldwide, which is approximately equal to 11% of the total number of deliveries. In this study, a number of pregnant women with 11-14 weeks of pregnancy were evaluated in order to evaluate the value of cervical length at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy in predicting preterm delivery. Subjects and Methods In this cohort study, 156 asymptomatic pregnant women with a gestational age of 11-14 weeks were randomly selected and evaluated. Cervical length was measured by transvaginal ultrasound using a standard method. Cervical length and gestational age at delivery were recorded in a computer database along with demographic information, clinical history, and pregnancy information. Results The mean length of the cervix in women with preterm delivery was 31.32±6.71 mm and in women with term delivery was 38.96±5.80 mm. Data analysis showed that shorter cervical length was significantly associated with preterm delivery. With a threshold of 34.5 mm, the length of the cervix from 3rd month to 6th month could predict preterm delivery with a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 81%. Conclusion Measuring cervical length with transvaginal ultrasound in the second trimester can predict preterm delivery.