ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CERVICAL INCOMPETENCE IN PREGNANCY—A NEW DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH

Abstract

Ultrasonography was used to measure the width of the internal os in 24 patients, for whom a McDonald operation was planned because they were considered to have cervical incompetence and in 19 women with normal obstetric histories. The mean widths of the internal os were 2.57 cm +/- 0.36 and 1.67 cm +/- 0.23, respectively (p less than 0.001). This new and objective procedure, which is used during pregnancy, provides an additional method for the diagnosis of cervical incompetence.