This is a prospective cross sectional study conducted in the period from March 2012 to August 2012. Included a total of 43 low risk pregnant women at Dallah hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Trans-abdominal ultrasound was used to measure the uterine wall thickness.
With the progress of labor, the upper uterine wall progressively thickened, while the lower uterine segment progressively thinned. A significant change in uterine wall thickness was found with every 2 cm cervical dilatation. A sono-partogram was developed. There was no significant difference in uterine wall thickness with respect to gravidity. The upper/lower uterine wall thickness ratio may also be valuable in the assessment of the progress of labor. We found that, measuring the uterine wall thickness by trans abdominal US is a non invasive method which has the potential role for assessing the progress of labor especially in high risk pregnancies when digital examination carries the risk of ascending infection or bleeding as in patients with preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes or ante-partum hemorrhage.
Trans-abdominal US is a new non invasive method and has the potential for assessing the progress of labor. A sono-partogram is very useful in the follow up and evaluation of the progress of labor.