A group of healthy pregnant women was enrolled and subdivided as follows: (i) at term out of labour (n 1⁄4 19; 276^0.7 days of gestation; samples collected at the time of elective caesarean section due to previous uterine surgery); (ii) post-term (n 1⁄4 19; 291^1.4 days of gestation), from whom samples were collected before induction of labour.
Methods: Urocortin and CRF measurements by radioimmunoassay; digital palpatory cervical examin- ation and Bishop score computation; cervical length and funnelling presence assessment by transva- ginal ultrasonography.