An Anisotropic Reactive Viscoelastic Model of the Rhesus Macaque Cervix for Studying Cervical Remodeling.

ABSTRACT: The uterine cervix is a soft biological tissue with critical biomechanical functions in pregnancy. It is a mechanical barrier that supports the growing fetus. As pregnancy progresses, the cervix becomes more compliant and eventually opens in late pregnancy to facilitate childbirth. This dual function is facilitated by extensive remodeling of the cervical extracellular matrix (ECM), giving rise to its complex time-dependent material properties. Premature cervical remodeling is known to result in preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation. While previous work has studied cervical remodeling using various biomechanical methods, it remains unclear how the intrinsic or flow-independent viscoelastic behavior of the cervix is influenced by cervical remodeling. In this study, an

SUBMITTER: Duarte-Cordon CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12132357 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature