Fj. Zlatnik et Lf. Burmeister, INTERVAL EVALUATION OF THE CERVIX FOR PREDICTING PREGNANCY OUTCOME AND DIAGNOSING CERVICAL INCOMPETENCE, Journal of reproductive medicine, 38(5), 1993, pp. 365-369
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.