In plain words
Cervical length is the measured distance from the opening of the cervix at the top of the vagina to the top of the cervix. It is usually measured by around the middle of pregnancy. A typical length is around 3 to 4 centimeters at this stage. A shorter length, often under 2.5 centimeters before 24 weeks, can mean a higher chance of birth before 37 weeks. Most mothers with a short measurement do not go into , so a number on its own does not decide anything. It is one part of a picture that also includes symptoms, history, and other tests. Your provider may explain the number and what, if anything, comes next.
The deeper version
Cervical length is measured transvaginally, with the cervix in a neutral position and the bladder empty, using the shortest of at least three measurements. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 234 (2021) and the Society for describe a short cervix as 25 millimeters or less before 24 weeks, and treat universal screening in women without a prior spontaneous preterm birth as an option rather than a requirement. testing and salivary or vaginal biomarkers are used for risk stratification in symptomatic women, with low . A meta-analysis by Berghella and colleagues found that a cervical length under 25 millimeters at mid-gestation carries a substantially increased relative risk of preterm birth, with the absolute risk remaining modest in most screened cohorts. Management options studied include progesterone and , with evidence that differs by obstetric history and by method.
Where it comes up
- Short cervix and signs of preterm laborPregnancy: Your Body
- Braxton Hicks and practice contractionsPregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about cervical length
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Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Clinical Practice Guideline No. 8: Management of short cervix, 2022
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine — Prediction and prevention of spontaneous preterm birth, consult series, 2022