Cervical length in adolescents versus adults

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a major obstetric concern.
• Short cervical length (CL) and adolescent age are known risk factors for sPTB.
• The relationship between adolescent maternal age and CL requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if adolescent women (≤19 years) exhibit a higher incidence of short cervical length (CL ≤25 mm) compared to women aged 20-24 years.
• To evaluate the association between maternal age and CL in a cohort undergoing universal second-trimester screening.
• To assess secondary outcomes including preterm birth, birth weight, and NICU admission.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of nulliparous singleton gestations.
• Universal second-trimester transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) CL screening was performed.
• Adolescent women (≤19 years) were compared to women aged 20-24 years.

Main Results:

• No significant difference was observed in mean CL (40.6 mm vs. 40.6 mm) or the incidence of short CL (1.0% vs. 1.7%) between the adolescent and 20-24 year old groups.
• After adjusting for maternal factors, no significant correlation was found between maternal age and CL.
• Secondary outcomes, including preterm birth, birth weight, and NICU admission, did not differ significantly between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent women do not have a higher incidence of short cervical length (CL) compared to women aged 20-24 years.
• Maternal age within this range is not significantly correlated with cervical length.
• These findings suggest that adolescent age alone, independent of CL, may not confer an increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes in this cohort.