[Imaging of premature uterine contraction in vaginal sonography].

A collective of 60 patients with clinical diagnosed contractions was vaginosonographically examined. During the ultrasound examination preterm labour was seen in 42 patients. In a control group (n = 50) preterm contractions were not detectable. The average time of the contractions was 88 seconds in the primipara group and 90 seconds in the multipara group and showed no statistical significance. In the group of the primipara a shortening of the cervical length of 17 (+/- 6) mm, in the multipara group 15 (+/- 5) mm was seen under contractions, furthermore a thickening of 8 +/- 4 mm respectively 10 +/- 5 mm. The internal os of the primipara opened 11 +/- 6 mm, of the multipara group 13 +/- 6 mm. The highest incidence of uterine contractions was found in the 32nd week. The paired students t-test showed a significance of p less than 0.001 for the cervical length, thickness and internal os and for the thinning of the dorsal uterine wall, subdividing the parity did not show statistical significance. The vaginosonography is able to help detecting preterm labour.