Prediction of Preterm Birth by Second Trimester Transvaginal Ultrasound Measurement of Cervical Length. A Prospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: To determine the predictive value of second-trimester transvaginal ultrasound measurement ofcervical length for preterm birth.Study Design: Prospective observational study.Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PakEmirates Military Hospital (PEMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan, a tertiary care facility from April 2023 to September2023.Methods: After obtaining written informed consent, 132 pregnant women who met the selection criteria wereenrolled. All patients underwent transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation during the 20th to 24th week. Aconsultant gynaecologist assessed cervical length three times. The smallest measurement was noted down,and it was further confirmed by a consultant radiologist. All patients were followed up until delivery, andpreterm birth was assessed; findings were analyzed statistically. No intervention was done during this study.Results: The mean age of the patients was 28.5 ± 3.91 years. Cervical shortening (<2.5cm) was seen in 24(18.2%) patients. Overall, pre-term birth occurred in 27 (20.5%) patients. In patients with cervical shortening,preterm birth occurred in 16 (66.7%) patients. A statistically significant relation existed between cervicalshortening and preterm birth (P=0.000). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of cervical shortening fordetermining preterm birth were 59%, 92.5%, 66.5%, and 89.9%, respectively. The Chi-square value was 38.47,which shows a statistically significant relationship between cervical shortening and preterm birth. In otherwords, cervical is strongly associated with a higher risk of preterm birth in this population.Conclusion: Cervical length measured by TVS during the second trimester had a moderately high predictivevalue and specificity for predicting preterm birth. How to cite this: Kousar R, Iftikhar B, Khan FS, Kousar R, Mahmood F, Shahzadi H. Prediction of Preterm Birth by Second Trimester Transvaginal Ultrasound Measurement of Cervical Length. A Prospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital. Life and Science. 2025; 6(2): 223-229. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.850