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Factors associated with preterm labour and changes in the cervix before labour in twin pregnancy
Author(s) -
HOULTON M. C. C.,
MARIVATE M.,
PHILPOTT R. H.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1982.tb03611.x
Subject(s) - cervix , preterm labour , medicine , obstetrics , gestation , pregnancy , preterm labor , cervical dilatation , twin pregnancy , gynecology , cancer , biology , genetics
Summary. A total of 132 twin pregnancies in black African women were studied prospectively after 30 weeks gestation. Delivery occurred before 37 weeks in 32%. There was a trend (0.1 > P > 0.05) towards a higher preterm delivery rate in nullipara (57%), in women under the age of 20 years (60%) and in those with a height/weight ratio of >2.5 (50%). The cervix was assessed with a score based on the length of the canal minus the dilatation of the internal os. In both term and preterm labour there was a significant relation between a cervical score of 0 or a decrease in cervical score and the onset of labour within the subsequent 14 days ( P < 0.001). By these criteria to predict impending labour, 60% of all labours that ensued within 14 days of the assessment would have been predicted with a 20% false positive rate. When nulliparae were excluded the predictive value of cervical assessment for preterm labour was 80% with a false positive rate of < 5%. Plasma oestriol levels were significanty higher in the preterm labour group but had no clinical prognostic value.