Am J Perinatol 2007; 24(1): 049-053
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-958164
Copyright © 2007 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Does Hospitalization Prevent Preterm Delivery in the Patient with a Short Cervix?

Nathan S. Fox1 , Claudel Jean-Pierre1 , Mladen Predanic1 , Stephen T. Chasen1
  • 1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
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Publikationsdatum:
27. Dezember 2006 (online)

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ABSTRACT

This study considers whether admission to the hospital of a patient diagnosed with a short cervix delayed delivery, prevented preterm delivery, and/or decreased the rate of change in the cervical length (CL) on follow-up measurements. The design was a retrospective cohort study of women carrying singleton pregnancies with cervical lengths ≤ 25 mm at gestational ages 16 to 28 weeks managed expectantly from July 2002 through July 2005. Eighty-two patients met criteria for inclusion, 26 (32%) of whom were hospitalized. On univariate analysis, hospitalization correlated with delivery < 34 weeks (p = 0.027), an earlier gestational age (GA) at delivery (p = 0.046), and a shorter time from diagnosis to delivery (p < .001). Multivariate regression analysis of significant factors (age, prior preterm births, initial CL, GA at diagnosis, and hospitalization) showed a correlation between hospitalization and increased rate of cervical shortening (p = 0.005), and a trend toward hospitalization as an independent risk factor for delivery less than 34 weeks (p = 0.066), an earlier GA at delivery (p = 0.058), and a shorter time from diagnosis to delivery (p = 0.078). There also was no benefit seen from hospitalization when the initial CL was < 15 mm, although we were underpowered for this analysis. Admission to the hospital was not associated with a decreased rate of preterm delivery and there was a trend toward hospitalization as an independent risk factor for delivery at < 34 weeks, an earlier GA at delivery, and a shorter time from diagnosis to delivery. Hospitalization was independently associated with an increased rate of cervical shortening.

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