You’ve heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Ben Franklin said those wise words and they still hold true today, especially when it comes to pregnancy. For example, we all know the importance of taking our prenatal vitamins, doing Kegels in the checkout line (or anywhere you remember), getting good prenatal care and taking childbirth classes. It’s always better to catch something before it becomes a problem. Preparation is key in pregnancy.
Prevention is the driving force behind screening. We screen for gestational diabetes. We screen for anemia. We screen for blood type. If you are pregnant or have been pregnant before, you know all about the numerous blood tests and other exams we ladies have to go through when we’re expecting. Some tests are done via ultrasound, and that is exactly the method that researchers are suggesting for determining a woman’s risk for preterm labor. A new study from the Yale School of Medicine shows that it is less expensive for all pregnant women to be screened for a short cervix, one of the leading causes of preterm labor, than it is to provide the routine care necessary for preterm babies and their moms that result from not catching this condition early on. Screening lowers the number of neonatal deaths and improves the quality of life. Cervical length screening has the potential to decrease the number of premature births. Only ten percent of preterm births involve mothers with a history of preterm labor, which is why screening could have such a big impact on the numbers.
Routine screening for a short cervix is already done for high risk pregnancies. Women who have experienced preterm labor before are considered high risk. This screening is usually done between 20 to 24 weeks gestation. If a woman is found to have a short or incompetent cervix, her doctor may put in a cerclage, essentially stitching the cervix shut until the baby can be delivered safely. Bed rest and complete pelvic rest may also be suggested.