Objective: To determine the association between short cervix and amniotic fluid sludge and preterm labor at the OB-OPD, High Risk Unit, and USI Department of MCU-FDTMF Hospital. Methods: OB-OPD patients are classified as High Risk or Low Risk based on the assessment of the Resident-in-charge at the OPD. Those who were High Risk were referred to the High-Risk Section and re-evaluated by means of on Orange Referral Sheet by the Perinatology Fellow assigned at the OPD. Congenital Anomaly Scan were requested anytime between 18-28 weeks age of gestation. The cervical length measurement was included and a logbook was kept to maintain a record of all the patients included. The principal investigator identified presence of a short cervix, amniotic fluid sludge, and/or both and determined the profile of patients in the study population. Results: One hundred forty-nine subjects 19 to 44 years with a mean age of 29.33 years (SD=6.27) were included. Of these, 13 (8.7%) had presence of short cervix only, 17 (11.4%) had presence of amniotic fluid “sludge” only, while 86 (57.7%) had both short cervix and amniotic fluid “sludge” for a total of 116 (77.9%). The risk for a patient with short cervix to have preterm labor was 2x higher than those without short cervix (OR=2.62; 95%CI = 1.23 to 5.61; p=0.006). The risk for preterm labor among those with amniotic fluid “sludge” was 2x higher than those without amniotic fluid “sludge” (OR=2.06; 95%CI = 1.00 to 4.45; p=0.04). When both short cervix and amniotic fluid “sludge” were present, the risk for preterm labor was 3x higher than those without any of the two (OR=3.21; 95%CI = 1.28 to 8.17; p=0.005). Conclusion: Short cervix and amniotic fluid sludge were associated with preterm labor. A higher risk was noted when the presence of both was evident.
ISSN 0031-7799 (Print)
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