Research Journal of Medical Sciences
ISSN: Online 1993-6095ISSN: Print 1815-9346
Abstract
Threatened preterm labor is characterized by the presence of uterine contractions without accompanying cervical changes, occurring prior to 37 weeks of gestation. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of uterocervical angle (UCA) alone and in combination with cervical length (CL) in forecasting preterm delivery in cases of threatened preterm labor. A prospective observational cohort study was performed involving 178 pregnant women presenting with threatened preterm labor. UCA and CL were measured via transvaginal ultrasonography and patient characteristics were documented from medical records. Participants were monitored until delivery to determine the occurrence of preterm birth. Diagnostic parameters, including sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and predictive values (positive and negative) for UCA alone and UCA combined with CL, were calculated for predicting preterm birth. Preterm birth occurred in 26.40% of women with threatened preterm labor. For a UCA threshold of $110.91 degrees, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 67.4%, 41.6%, 30.9% and 75.4%, respectively. When combining UCA $110.91 degrees with a CL <3.5 cm, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 51.20%, 70%, 37.9% and 77.5%, respectively. The combined assessment of UCA and CL demonstrated higher specificity and NPV compared to UCA alone. UCA measured via transvaginal ultrasonography, when supplemented by CL evaluation, enhances diagnostic accuracy in predicting preterm birth in threatened preterm labor due to its adequate sensitivity and high NPV.
How to cite this article:
Rajesh Kumar, Sayal Choudhary, Payal Choudhary and Sundiep Kumar. Assessing Uterocervical Angle and Cervical Length For Early Prediction of Preterm Delivery.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/10.36478/makrjms.2025.1.224.228
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-9346/10.36478/makrjms.2025.1.224.228