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The Short and the Long Cervix in Pregnancy

In pregnancy we have come to realize the shorter a cervix is, for the given stage of pregnancy, the more at risk the mom is for preterm birth. Oddly we know very little about why some pregnancies are destined to go overdue. first babies, previous late pregnancies, obesity, and genetics are the most commonly associated factors with prolonged pregnancies over 42 weeks. But, it's really not known why a particular pregnancy doesn't deliver by the due date. In a study from Northwestern University School of Medicine, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology September 2015 they studied over 9000 women,
having their first baby, and found that the longer the cervix at 18-24 weeks, the more likely the pregnancy was going to be over due. Rates over 4.91 cm at that stage of pregnancy were associated with the latest pregnancies.Routine measurement of the cervix in the second trimester is almost always done now. The screening has been intended to predict who may be at risk for premature delivery, but now we have a new perspective on the data!

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