ABSTRACT
Objectives: To study cervical length measurement by transvaginal ultrasound at 20-28 weeks as predictor for women at risk of preterm delivery
Methods: This study was done over a period of one year between 2012 and 2013 at prince Rashid Bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital- Irbid -Jordan. Cervical assessment by transvaginal sonography was done in 100 women at 20-28 weeks of gestation. The gestation at delivery in woman with cervical length more or equal to 3 cm [group A, n=80] were compared with that in woman with cervical length < 3 cm [group B, n=20]
Results: thirty-eight percent of patients were primigravidas and 61.25% were multigravidas in group A, while 35% of them were primigravidas and 65% were multigravidas in group B. The most age group of the women was between 21-30 years in both groups. The incidence of preterm delivery was 13.75% in group A as compared to 90% in group B [p<0.005]. In group A of the 80 women 11 delivered preterm [13.75%], 7 of them between 32 and 37 weeks of gestation and 4 women before 32 weeks. While in group B, 18 of the 20 women [90%] delivered preterm [10 before 32 weeks, 8 between 32 and 37 weeks and 2 after 37 weeks]. The mean cervical length in group A women was 3.5+/-0.6 cm, while it was 2.1+/-0.5 cm in group B women
Conclusion: Transvaginal ultrasound has been shown to be an objective sensitive and reliable method to assess the cervix and predict the risk of preterm delivery