Transvaginal sonographic cervical length for the prediction of spontaneous preterm birth in twin pregnancies: a systematic review and metaanalysis

Abstract

To assess the accuracy of transvaginal sonographic cervical length (CL) in predicting spontaneous preterm birth in women with twin pregnancies. Systematic review and metaanalysis of predictive test accuracy. Twenty-one studies (16 in asymptomatic women and 5 in symptomatic women) with a total of 3523 women met the inclusion criteria. Among asymptomatic women, a CL <or=20 mm at 20-24 weeks' gestation was the most accurate in predicting preterm birth <32 and <34 weeks' gestation (pooled sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 39% and 29%, 96% and 97%, 10.1 and 9.0, and 0.64 and 0.74, respectively). A CL <or=25 mm at 20-24 weeks' gestation had a pooled positive likelihood ratio of 9.6 to predict preterm birth <28 weeks' gestation. The predictive accuracy of CL for preterm birth was low in symptomatic women. Transvaginal sonographic CL at 20-24 weeks' gestation is a good predictor of spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic women with twin pregnancies.