INTERVAL EVALUATION OF THE CERVIX FOR PREDICTING PREGNANCY OUTCOME AND DIAGNOSING CERVICAL INCOMPETENCE

The purpose of this study was to relate cervical compliance in the non pregnant state to previous obstetric outcome in women with histories o f early deliveries and to the length of gestation in subsequent pregna ncies. One hundred eighty-four women with histories of spontaneous sec ond-trimester abortions or early preterm deliveries had cervical evalu ations in the interval state. Hysterography, catheter traction and dil ator passage tests were utilized to generate a cervical compliance sco re, which was related to the weeks' gestation and clinical presentatio n in early delivery and to the length of gestation in subsequent pregn ancies. Women with high scores (less cervical resistance) delivered th eir index pregnancies earlier in gestation than did women with low sco res and were more likely to have presented with clinical cervical inco mpetence. In subsequent pregnancies, only 9% of pregnancies entering t he second trimester in women with low scores delivered at < 30 weeks' gestation as compared with 24% in those with high scores. The evaluati on of cervical compliance in the nonpregnant state is predictive of su bsequent pregnancy outcome and therefore is a useful adjunct to the cl inical history in diagnosing cervical incompetence.