The incompetent cervix during pregnancy diagnosed by ultrasound

Ninety-one pregnant patients in mid-trimester were examined for suspected cervical incompetence using ultrasound. This diagnosis means that detached membranes at the internal os are bulging into a dilated cervical canal. In 13 cases cervical dilatation was found. These patients were operated on using McDonald's purse-string suture. Only one of these patients had premature rupture of the membranes and was delivered at 35 weeks. In all other operated cases the pregnancy continued beyond 37 weeks. Ultrasound is an objective method of diagnosing incompetence of the cervix in pregnancy.