Evaluation of pregnant women at risk of preterm delivery by correlating ultrasound markers with Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1

A. Gogănău, A. Patrascu, L. Novac

Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the preterm birth risk, by correlating Actim Partus test with ultrasound markers. The present study was conducted in the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology from Municipal Hospital, Craiova from Romania, on 67 pregnant women from whom we selected 34 at risk of preterm delivery with gestational ages between 22 and 32 weeks. To include pregnant women in the premature birth risk group we observed personal obstetrical history, transvaginal ultrasound cervical length (CL) (≤ 25 mm, ± funneling), Actim Partus test and the correlations between these elements. For inclusion in the group we need to determinate CL and test every two weeks. Our results showed that the women who had a concentration of pheripheral insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 less than 10 ug/l (negative) did not deliver prematurely or in the next two weeks following the testing. None of the women tested gave birth before 35 weeks of pregnancy. Treatment was effective in these cases. Evidence suggests that a CL < 25-25 mm increases moderately preterm birth rate at < 37 weeks, although values between 20 and 25 mm do not exclude preterm birth, as well as associating funneling. Actim Partus test is a quick, facile and reliable test, which requires no additional equipment, and could be further used to monitor the rate of premature births in pregnant women.
DOI:10.18643/gieu.2014.62

Keywords: pregnancy, evaluation, insulin-like growth factor.