Tensile Properties and Collagen Organization of the Rat Cervix

Preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn death. Many premature survivors have serious and lifelong complications like cerebral palsy, learning and developmental disabilities, and hearing and vision impairment [1]. An accurate, predictive tool for preterm birth risk assessment does not exist. This research works towards developing tools based on mechanical measures of the cervix to assess risk for preterm birth.