Individual Participant Data for Preterm Birth and Cervical Length Meta-Analysis

91,404 participant records from 27 studies form an individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) on spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). The dataset, created by Kelly Hughes and last updated in June 2026, includes mid-trimester cervical length measurements and birth outcomes. It was compiled from a systematic search of medical databases up to November 2025.

Use Cases

• Modeling the non-linear association between cervical length and preterm birth risk based on the described L-shaped curve.
• Assessing how other demographic or clinical factors may modify the association between cervical length and birth outcomes.
• Validating cervical length as a prognostic marker for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic singleton pregnancies.

Strengths

• IPDMA includes data from 91,404 participants, providing a substantial sample size.
• Analysis is based on individual participant data from 27 studies, allowing for more granular investigation than aggregate meta-analyses.
• The dataset is structured for logistic regression modeling with cervical length as a continuous variable.

Limitations

• The description notes a suboptimal data retrieval rate of 51% of all eligible participants.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The dataset is very small (5.5 KB), suggesting it may contain summary or model results rather than raw participant records.

Provenance

Source

Individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) from 27 eligible cohort studies and trial control arms.

Collection Method

Systematic search of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and other databases, with data harmonized for a two-stage IPDMA.

Time Range

Studies were identified up to a search update on 4 November 2025.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-02 17:40:18; freshness should be verified.