[Evaluating cervical ripening in late pregnancy by transvaginal B-ultrasonic scan]

The ripening of the uterine cervix was studied by using trans vaginal B-ultrasonic scanning against Bishop's scoring in 60 pregnancies in the 3rd trimester, yielding a conformity rate of 70%. All cases with a score > or = 6 by transvaginal B-ultrasound delivered naturally or shortly after induction. There were 22 cases shown immature by Bishop's scoring, of which, 18 found to be mature by B-ultrasonic scan. 5 of the 18 ended naturally and 13 following induction, while the 4 immature according to B-ultrasonic scan failed to come into labor. This proved that vaginal B-ultrasonic scanning is more accurate than Bishop's scoring. B-ultrasonic scanning on the perineum could display the internal cervical os but not the external, unless the body position was changed in different ways. Transabdominal B-ultrasound scanning did not clearly display the cervix and only one case revealed in the cervical canal, and the amniotic membrane. Thus, vaginal B-ultrasonic scanning has a higher rate of visualization and clearer pictures, being able to reflect correctly and objectively the cervical ripening, thereby providing a more reliable method for cervical ripening evaluation.