Sonographic cervical parameters in predicting spontaneous preterm birth in high-risk pregnant women

Preterm delivery is a relevant public health problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD) before 35 and 37 weeks of gestational age and the measurement of the cervix length, cervical funneling and Cervical Gland Area (CGA), in high risk pregnant population. A prospective cohort of 200 women carrying high risk pregnancies was evaluated by transvaginal sonography between 14th and 28th gestational weeks. The data were analyzed using statistical methods. A multiple linear regression model was estimated in order to examine the relationship between the gestational age at delivery and the cervical markers. A multiple logistic regression was estimated in order to analyze the factors associated to spontaneous preterm delivery and the transvaginal sonographic markers. Cervical length less than 18 mm and the presence of cervical funneling presented a statistically significant association with spontaneous preterm delivery before 35 weeks. The nondetection of Cervical Gland Area demonstrated a strong association with spontaneous preterm delivery before (p=0.0001, OR=169.1, CI=2.6-3.1) and 35th and 37th gestational week (p=0.001, OR=115, CI=2.12-3.5). The multiple logistic regression analysis suggested the non-detection of CGA as the only variable to reveal statistically significance association with spontaneous preterm delivery. Based on results of present study the absence of cervical gland area (CGA) can be a new and important ultrasound marker for predicting spontaneous preterm delivery and needs to confirm with future multicenter investigations.