The Relationship between Preterm Delivery and Cervical Length Measurement in Second Trimester of Pregnancy at Chonburi Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine the correlation of cervical length in the second trimester of pregnancy and preterm delivery at Chonburi hospital.

Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancy at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Chonburi hospital. Cervical length was measured in pregnant women that underwent transvaginal ultrasound between 16-24 weeks of gestational age from 1 Mar 2017 to 30 June 2018. Fetal lethal anomaly, uterine anomaly, polyhydramnios, inadequate ultrasound and medically indicated preterm birth were excluded. Demographic, medical data such as gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and Apgar score were collected. The correlation between gestational age at delivery and cervical length was also evaluated.

Results: Three hundred and eighty-nine women with singleton pregnancies agreed to participate in the study. One hundred and six pregnancy (27.2%) were preterm delivery. Most pregnant women in this study were in the range of 20-35 years old (66.8%). Teenage pregnancy and advanced maternal age pregnancy were 16.2 percent and 17 percent, respectively. The normal body mass index was 32.6 percent. Underweight and obesity were 29.6 and 37.8 percent, respectively. Smoking history in pregnancy was 1.8 percent. Primigravidarum was 44.5 percent that was the most group. The prevalence of previous preterm delivery was 16.7 percent. The statistical significant risk factor with preterm birth was history of preterm birth. Transvaginal cervical length values were found to 19.0 mm in minimum value, 71.2 mm in maximum value and 40.2 mm in mean value. Cervical length was not correlated to less than 37 weeks of gestational age at delivery.

Conclusions: The second trimester cervical length was not correlated to preterm birth at Chonburi hospital.