Diagnostic value of perineal neck length, interleukin-6, and fetal fibronectin in preterm birth

Abstract OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of perineal neck length, vaginal secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and fetal fibronectin (fFN) in preterm birth and their relationship with maternal vaginal flora. METHODS:A total of 180 patients with threatened preterm birth admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to February 2023 were selected. All patients underwent perineal neck length measurement and vaginal secretion IL-6 and fFN testing. The occurrence of preterm birth was observed, and the clinical data, perineal cervical length, and vaginal secretion IL-6 and fFN levels of patients with and without preterm birth were analyzed. RESULTS:The length of the perineal cervix in patients with premature birth was (23.30±9.11) mm, which was significantly shorter than that in patients with premature birth (P < 0.05). In addition, the levels of IL-6 and fFN in vaginal secretions of patients with premature birth were (145.54±44.17) pg/ml and (80.44±26.43) μg/L respectively, which were significantly higher than those of patients with non-premature birth (p＜0.05). CONCLUSION: Perineal neck length, vaginal secretion IL-6 level and fFN level have good predictive value for preterm birth. Furthermore, there was a correlation between these factors and the vaginal microbiota index.