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Raised electrical uterine activity and shortened cervical length could predict preterm delivery in a low-risk population

  • Materno-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To compare diagnostic accuracy of sonographic cervical length (CL) measurement and uterine electric activity assessed by electromyography (EMG) in second trimester regarding prediction of preterm delivery (PTD).

Methods

Prospective study of 308 low-risk women. Shortened CL was defined as ≤25 mm (≤5th centile), while raised EMG activity was defined as the presence of ≥20 action potentials in 20 min of assessment (≥95th centile). Outcome measures were diagnostic accuracy of both tests alone or in combination for prediction of PTD and early PTD (≤34 weeks).

Results

The incidence of PTD was 23/308 (7.4%) while the incidence of early PTD was 9/308 (2.9%). Shortened CL and raised EMG activity were significantly related to PTD [prevalence-weighted likelihood ratio (pw-LR) 1.9, 95% CI 1.0–3.5 vs. 9.5, 95% CI 2.5–35.7], but not to early PTD (pw-LR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.8 vs. 0.6, 95% CI 0.3–1.7). Significant predictive value for early PTD was found only if both tests were combined (pw-LR 4, 95% CI 1.3–14.3).

Conclusion

Shortened CL and raised EMG activity in second trimester have significant diagnostic accuracy regarding prediction of PTD in a low-risk population. However, in order to be useful as a predictor for early PTD both tests must be positive.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education, and Sport as Project No. 108-0000000-0378.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Vinogradska cesta 29, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia

    Ozren Grgic & Krunoslav Kuna

  2. University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Sveti Duh Hospital, Sveti Duh 64, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ratko Matijevic

Authors
  1. Ozren Grgic
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  2. Ratko Matijevic
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  3. Krunoslav Kuna
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ozren Grgic.

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Grgic, O., Matijevic, R. & Kuna, K. Raised electrical uterine activity and shortened cervical length could predict preterm delivery in a low-risk population. Arch Gynecol Obstet 285, 31–35 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-011-1906-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-011-1906-x

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