Quantitative strain elastography of the uterine cervix assessed by the GE Voluson E10 system in combination with a force-measuring device.

Objective: During pregnancy, the stiffness of the cervical tissue decreases long before the cervical length decreases. Therefore, several approaches have been proposed in order to ensure a more objective assessment of cervical stiffness than that achieved by digital evaluation. Strain elastography has shown promising results.

A force-measuring device combined with ultrasound-based elastography for assessment of the uterine cervix.

Introduction: In this feasibility study, we hypothesize that the evaluation of cervical biomechanical strength can be improved if cervical length measurement is supplemented with quantitative elastography, which is a technique based on conventional ultrasound elastography combined with a force-measuring device. Our aims were to: (a) develop a force-measuring device; (b) introduce a cervical elastography index (CEI) and a cervical strength index (CSI; defined as cervical length × CEI); (c) evaluate how these indexes assess the cervical softening that takes place during normal pregnancy; and (d) how these indexes predict the cervical dilatation time from 4 to 10 cm.

Material And Methods: An electronic force-measuring device was mounted on the handle of the transvaginal probe, allowing for force measurement when conducting elastography.

Second-trimester fetal head circumference in more than 350 000 pregnancies: Outcome and suggestion for sex-dependent cutoffs for small heads.

Objective: To explore the relationship between small fetal second-trimester head circumference (HC) and pregnancy outcome and identify a cutoff point for offering genetic testing.

Method: Data from second-trimester scans in Denmark were linked to national registers. Fetuses with anomalies diagnosed before this scan were excluded.