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The uterocervical angle and its relationship with preterm birth
Alba Farràs Llobet1, Laia Regincós Martí1, Teresa Higueras1
1a Department of Obstetrics , Hospital Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain.
Summary
A wider uterocervical angle (UCA) in the second trimester is linked to spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). UCA measurement is reliable and may help predict sPTB risk.
Area of Science:
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Diagnostic imaging in obstetrics
Background:
- Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) before 34 weeks is a significant concern in obstetric care.
- The uterocervical angle (UCA) is a sonographic measurement that has shown potential in assessing cervical status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between the uterocervical angle (UCA) and the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) before 34 weeks.
- To evaluate the interobserver variability of UCA measurements.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 275 women was conducted.
- 34 women who experienced sPTB before 34 weeks formed the preterm group, while 241 women who delivered at term constituted the control group.
- Existing ultrasound images used for cervical length assessment were re-analyzed to measure the UCA.
Main Results:
- The mean UCA in the second trimester was significantly wider in the preterm group (105.16°) compared to the control group (94.53°).
- The intraclass correlation coefficient for masked interobserver variability was 0.821, indicating good agreement among measurements.
- A significant increase in mean UCA was observed from the first trimester (84.2°) to the second trimester (94.5°).
Conclusions:
- A wider uterocervical angle (UCA) in the second trimester is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB).
- UCA measurement is a reproducible technique with good interobserver agreement.
- Further prospective studies are warranted to validate UCA as a clinical predictor for sPTB.
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