Cervical gland area: a new sonographic marker in predicting preterm delivery

Area of Science:

• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Diagnostic Ultrasound
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Preterm delivery is a leading cause of newborn morbidity and mortality.
• Early identification of at-risk pregnancies is crucial for timely intervention.
• The Cervical Gland Area (CGA) is a novel sonographic marker for preterm birth prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the predictive role of the absence of the Cervical Gland Area (CGA) for preterm delivery before 37 weeks.
• To assess the association between CGA and spontaneous preterm birth.

Main Methods:

• Trans-vaginal ultrasonography was performed on 600 pregnant women between 16-19 weeks gestation.
• Cervical Gland Area (CGA) and cervical length were measured.
• Women with cervical length <25 mm were excluded; demographic data and delivery dates were recorded.

Main Results:

• Spontaneous preterm delivery occurred in 6.7% of participants.
• No significant differences in maternal age, cervical length, or obstetric history were found between term and preterm groups.
• Absence of CGA was significantly more common in preterm deliveries (55%) compared to term deliveries (77.1%) (P=0.002).

Conclusions:

• Non-detection of the Cervical Gland Area (CGA) during second-trimester ultrasonography is a significant predictor of preterm delivery.
• CGA assessment may improve the prediction of preterm birth risk.