الفهرس 
Aim of the WorkOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Preterm labor is usually defined as regular contractions accompanied by cervical changes occurring at less than 37 week’ gestation.
Preterm infants are at risk for specific diseases such as respiratory distress syndrome, intra-ventricular hemorrhage, broncho-pulmonary dyspepsia, patent ductus arteriosus, sepsis, apnea.
Deferent methods were used to diagnosis or predict preterm labor ranging from simple methods like digital examination and ultrasound to more complicated methods like biochemical markers in maternal serum or cervicovaginal secretions.
Transvaginal ultrasound is a type of pelvic ultrasound. There is an evidence supporting the reliability and validity of sonographic evaluation of the cervix in the form of cervical length for the prediction of preterm birth.
In our present study which was performed at Obstetrics and Gynecology department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University and Zagazig General Hospital. This study was included 96 twin pregnant females who were admitted at Obstetrics and Gynecology departments. These women were examined using transvaginal ultrasound for assessment of cervical length and lower uterine segment thickness.
All women were followed up till delivery and data on pregnancy outcome obtained from the filling system in the delivery ward, and for those that delivered at home or in other hospitals from the women themselves through phone contact.
Transvaginal assessment of the cervical length and lower uterine segment thickness are good tests for prediction of preterm birth. A cervical length less than 25 mm between 16-25 weeks’ gestation is generally agreed upon as increasing the risk of preterm labor, also lower uterine segment less than 4.26 mm between 16-25 week’ gestation is also strong predictor for preterm labor.
This study recommended measuring lower uterine segment thickness trans-vaginally with cervical length during performing routine tests of pregnancy between 16-25 gestational age; as trans-vaginal ultrasound is more preferable for accurate assessment in order to predict preterm labor specially high risk one.