SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2022
Magnetic resonance imaging in late pregnancy to improve labour and delivery outcomes - a systematic literature review.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Roles and applications of artificial intelligence in fetal and placental MRI: a literature review.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of supine vs. hip- and knee-flexed position on anteroposterior diameter and inclination of the female pelvic outlet: an MRI-based 3D reconstruction study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Late gestation MRI to assess maternal pelvimetry, fetal biometry and placental oxygenation: a retrospective pilot study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Comparison of vaginal breech deliveries with and without magnetic resonance imaging in primigravidas: a retrospective cohort analysis and literature review.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2025Review
- Shaping the Skeleton: Impact of GnRH Analogue and Sex Hormone Therapy on Skeletal Dimensions in Transgender Individuals.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides excellent soft tissue visualisation which may be useful in late pregnancy to predict labour outcome and maternal/neonatal birth trauma.
objectiveTo study if MRI in late pregnancy can predict maternal and neonatal outcomes of labour and birth.
methodsSystematic review of studies that performed MRI in late pregnancy or immediately postpartum. Studies were included if they imaged maternal pelvic or neonatal structures and assessed birth outcome. Meta-analysis was not performed due to the heterogeneity of studies.
resultsEighteen studies were selected. Twelve studies explored the value of MRI pelvimetry measurement and its utility to predict cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) and vaginal breech birth. Four explored cervical imaging in predicting time interval to birth. Two imaged women in active labour and assessed mouldability of the fetal skull. No marker of CPD had both high sensitivity and specificity for predicting labour outcome. The fetal pelvic index yielded sensitivities between 59 and 60%, and specificities between 34 to 64%. Similarly, although the sensitivity of the cephalopelvic disproportion index in predicting labour outcome was high (85%), specificity was only 56%. In women with breech presentation, MRI was demonstrated to reduce the rates of emergency caesarean section from 35 to 19%, and allowed better selection of vaginal breech birth. Live birth studies showed that the fetal head undergoes a substantial degree of moulding and deformation during cephalic vaginal birth, which is not considered during pelvimetry. There are conflicting studies on the role of MRI in cervical imaging and predicting time interval to birth.
conclusionMRI is a promising imaging modality to assess aspects of CPD, yet no current marker of CPD accurately predicts labour outcome. With advances in MRI, it is hoped that novel methods can be developed to better identify individuals at risk of obstructed or pathological labour. Its role in exploring fetal head moulding as a marker of CPD should be further explored.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.