- Academic Editor
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Background: Cervical length measurement is still the most widely used
method to predict preterm labor. Recent studies have reported that in addition to
cervical length, uterocervical angle (UCA) may also be useful in predicting
preterm labor. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of the
anterior UCA to predict preterm labor in symptomatic pregnant women with a
cervical length of 20 to 30 mm. Methods: In this prospective cohort
study, 48 patients with a cervical length of 20 to 30 mm who applied to the
emergency department with any preterm labor symptoms, between September 2019 and
February 2020, were included as the study group. Cervical length and anterior UCA
were measured at the first admission. Of these 48 patients, 12 patients who gave
birth before 37 weeks were called the ‘preterm labor group’, and 36 patients who
gave birth at 37 weeks or later were named the ‘preterm threatened but delivered
at term’ group. The control group consisted of 46 healthy pregnant women who were
matched with the study group in terms of age, body mass index (BMI), and the
gestational week at which anterior UCA was measured. The three groups were
compared in terms of anterior UCA values. Results: The cervical lengths
of the ‘preterm labor’ and ‘preterm threatened but delivery at term’ groups were
similar and shorter than the control group (25.4 mm, 25.1 mm, and 35 mm,
respectively, p