Precise due date possible through cervical length measurement: research

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The estimate of a pregnant woman's due date can go amiss from a few days, or even several weeks in some cases.A recent study, published on Oct. 28, 2015 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, shows that a screening test involving the use of ultrasound to determine cervical length can help in a more precise prediction of when a woman would give birth. The time frame can be reduced to one week from the time of the screening.

According to senior author Vincenzo Berghella, M.D., director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, the measurement done to determine cervical length via ultrasound at around 37-39 weeks during the gestation period can provide us a clearer picture of whether a mother is going to undergo labor soon or not.

The study involved data from 375 women across five different previous studies, with single-child pregnancies and had babies in the usual head-down position, based on the press release published in EurekAlert!. The results revealed that there is less than 50 percent chance of delivery within seven days if the cervix measures more than 30 millimeters at the woman's due date. But, when a pregnant woman has a cervix measuring 10 mm or less, she would have an 85 percent chance of delivering within seven days.

The researchers said that the length of the cervix is, actually, a good indicator for labor because it is part of the natural progress taking place inside the woman's body during her pregnancy. The cervix, for instance, softens and changes in shape as the body prepares itself for labor. And, when these changes occur earlier than expected, it could signal a premature labor.

Berghella believed that a more precise way of finding out the due date is beneficial not just for the expecting mom to avoid stress and anxiety, but also for the medical practitioners to be able to provide better service, the Medical Daily reported.

"Women always ask for a better sense of their delivery date in order to help them prepare for work leave, or to make contingency plans for sibling care during labor. These are plans which help reduce a woman's anxiety about the onset of labor," Dr. Berghella said. "But having a better sense can also help obstetricians provide information that could help improve or even save a mother or baby's life."