1. Cervical length screening: a randomized trial assessing the impact on visit length and patient attitudes.
- Author
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Romero ST, Holmgren CC, Feltovich H, Porter TF, and Esplin MS
- Subjects
- Adult, Attitude to Health, Cervical Length Measurement methods, Female, Florida epidemiology, Humans, Cervical Length Measurement psychology, Cervical Length Measurement statistics & numerical data, Length of Stay statistics & numerical data, Office Visits statistics & numerical data, Patient Satisfaction statistics & numerical data, Pregnancy psychology, Pregnancy statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the time required for transvaginal cervical length measurements during a second-trimester anatomy scan and to evaluate patient attitudes regarding cervical length assessment., Methods: Consenting women were randomly assigned to one of the following: (1) standard arm-cervix visualized, no prespecified cervical length measurement; (2) sequential arm-3 transabdominal cervical length measurements obtained, transvaginal sonography performed if images were inadequate or if any measurement was 3 cm or less; and (3) screening transvaginal sonography arm-3 transvaginal cervical length measurements obtained. Times were recorded for the entire examination and cervical length evaluation. Participants completed a questionnaire at the end of their visits., Results: Sixty of 230 eligible women enrolled. Demographic characteristics were similar across groups except for body mass index, which was greater in the sequential arm than the screening arm (mean ± SD, 28.5 ± 7.75 versus 24.7 ± 3.89 kg/m(2); P = .03). There were no differences in total examination times between the 3 arms (24.8 ± 8.59 versus 27.8 ± 8.75 versus 28.5 ± 7.78 minutes; P= .39). There were no differences across groups in participant attitudes regarding examination discomfort or embarrassment., Conclusions: Performing screening transvaginal sonography to measure cervical length did not have a statistically significant impact on the amount of time for completion of the entire examination. Participants had positive responses regarding cervical length assessment by transabdominal and transvaginal sonography., (© 2013 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)
- Published
- 2014
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