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Chapter 15 - Short Cervix and Sex

from Section 2 - Specific Issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2022

By
Yara Maia Villar de Carvalho ,
Francisco Marcelo Carvalho ,
Beatriz Maria Villar de Carvalho  and
Eduardo Borges da Fonseca
Edited by
Dan Farine  and
Pablo Tobías González
Dan Farine
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
Pablo Tobías González
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina de Parla, Madrid
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Summary

Spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) refers to a delivery that occurs between weeks 20 and 37 of pregnancy, due to preterm labor, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes. and short cervical length at mid-trimester. The three most common risk factors for PTB are (1) prior history of preterm delivery, (2) twin pregnancy, and (3) short cervix at mid-trimester ultrasound. Several studies have demonstrated that short cervical length is the most powerful predictor for PTB in the index pregnancy for both singleton and twin pregnancies. A short cervical length means the measured length of the cervix is shorter than expected for the current gestational age, with a cutoff value between 20 and 25 mm. Sexual intercourse by itself has not been demonstrated to be a clear risk factor for PTB. Thus, abstinence after pregnancy has been achieved has no role in strategies for prevention of PTB. Also, most sexual positions and noncoital activities (e.g. oral sex, masturbation) during late pregnancy are not clearly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. There is no strong evidence that sexual activity affects the risk of PTB or onset of labor in healthy individuals. Pelvic rest may be recommended in selected cases, such as patients with a very short cervix or bulging membranes.

Keywords

short cervixpregnancysexintercourseorgasmpreterm birth
Type
Chapter
Information
Sex and Pregnancy
From Evidence-Based Medicine to Dr Google
 , pp. 104 - 111
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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