Cervical Measurements (All measurements on pg 1)

[Swisswife]

Hope you are all doing well.
I still have 10 days till my next appt so i've asked in the meanwhile for progesterone tablets (twice a day vaginally) and he sent me a prescription so that I can at least I feel that I am doing something to protect my baby as he probably won't give me a stitch. I am hoping to at least get some more rest this weekend.

 

[Bride2b]

Thanks guys Still holding on here so far, got transferred by ambulance across to the UCSD medical centre with the level 4 NICU and met the neonatologist in preparation so in the right place Hoping to get a visit from my 2 littlest kids soon Feel a bit like a pin cushion Now to lay here and try to keep the rest of the placenta on!

Bride2b I'd be fuming if they went behind the consultants back! I would complain and push for the check, you obviouly need it if your consulant wants it asap! I got my first measurment at just over 13 weeks I think, they wanted a baseline but I'm in California. Sorry for your loss hun x

Gosh I hope you are ok, this must be really scary for you, keeping things crossed that everything will be ok xx

Thank you for your support when you must be going through a nightmare & thanks you everyone else.
I managed to kick up a fight (and did phone the consultants receptionist to try & get in touch with the consultant regarding the issue), the stupid woman I was dealing with who books the appointments finally called back & agreed to booking an appointment - which should have just been done in the start as it was requested , so I have a scan tomorrow morning & hope that my cervix looks good - I assume its anything over 3 I should be aiming for from what I have read. I'm just really scared of things not being right

 

[Swisswife]

Good luck for tomorrow bride2b!

Mummy3, hope you are doing okay.

 

[Bride2b]

Thank you Swisswife xx

I just had my scan, I'm 13 +5 and my cervix measured 3.4cm which I believe is good at this stage so I am happy for now, just got to wait until 16 weeks for my next & keep my fingers crossed in the mean time xx

 

[jadey_fae]

Hi ladies, I'm sorry to jump in and ask for help, I read most of this thread the other day in preparation for my consultants appointment. I will give you a brief idea of my history then ask my question;

in Nov 2011 I lost my first baby at 19 1/2 weeks, as my waters broke after what I now know were contractions (but I never even thought this could happen so never suspected it). I had a consultants appointment afterwards to find out what caused my PPROM, however nothing was found. I was told next pregnancy I would get a cervical scan at 12 weeks then again at 16 weeks to check everything is ok.
Fastforward to now, I am 13 weeks pregnant & had my consultants appointment on Monday where she said I should of had my cervix measured at 12 weeks but as I didnt I needed one in the next few days, one at 16 weeks and again at 20 weeks. She sent me out with a slip to take to the desk to request an appointment. The woman on the desk told me they would phone me regarding the one in the next few days as the slip said ASAP. I havent had a call so I call them up this morning only to be told that they were confused about the ASAP scan and didnt bother booking it. So I tell them if the consultant wants me to have a scan as she knows my history surely it needs to be booked. OK to cut a long story short, she has asked a sonographer and they said they dont usually do it before 16 week so the appointment woman will not book me. I have kicked up a fuss as quite frankly I am sick of them making decisions behind the doctors/consultants back as in July last year I was refused a scan as the sonographer said no even though my doctor requested one for me & I walked around for another week with an ectopic pregnancy that was so close to bursting I was rushed in for emergency surgery.

Is it normal to have a cervical measurement take before 16 weeks? I am in the UK so just wanted some idea as I am getting really stressed out (which I shouldnt be doing)

Thanks ladies xx

Hi. I am also in the UK and was refused cervical scans until 16 weeks. They said the reasoning for this being that IC doesn't show itself before then. They scanned me every2 weeks and watched my cervix go from closed and long at 16 weeks to funnelled and short at 20 weeks. They then put a stitch in.

 

[Gwenylovey]

Hi ladies,

I've been meaning to update, but have moved within the past week and life has been crazy! I had a measurement last Monday at 25 weeks and 1/2 days. Cervical length was over 4 cm and shortest was 3.8 - I couldn't believe it! I am feeling much more relaxed now.

Mummy, hope all is well!

Bride2be, that is a good measurement, and glad they will take another look at 16 weeks.

 

[Bride2b]

OMG Jadey thats scarey, this is what I am scared of as I am getting a scan at 16 weeks then 20 weeks. I really want to push for one for 18 weeks as at 19 1/2 weeks was then I lost my first baby so I see this as the critical time for me. I'll be a nervous wreck if they dont scan me between 16 & 20 as I know your cervix can change so much in a short space of time!

Gweny those measurement sound really positive x

 

[jadey_fae]

thats odd as I believe it's normal practice to scan fortnightly. Definitely push for it. Someone on here gave me some good advice regarding the nhs as I was refused cervical scans all together and really had to argue to get them to take me seriously and it's a good job I did. Any way if they refuse u a scan at 18 weeks tell them that you want that in writing. That seems to get their backs up. Always gets me what I want! LOL

 

[Bride2b]

Thanks for that bit of advice,it's kind if playing on my mind today about the danger of not having a scan at the critical time when I lost my first baby. I'm sure if I raise my concerns (I hope) they will listen.

 

[sunnylove]

Bride2b, that's a tough one. Obviously they want to make sure you have incompetent cervix before they do surgery. It is possible you just went into preterm labor spontaneously with your first. True ic is when you efface and dilate without contractions. Sometimes it is hard to tell if the contractions came first or the cervix weakened first. They don't do routine cervical exams in the US typically until 20 weeks unless you've had PTL before.

 

[d_b]

I have my next check on Wednesday morning @24 weeks.. that's when I got signed off work last pregnancy so I'm pretty nervous! I am trying to get the house cleaned and everything done before the scan just in case I am stuck in bed for the next few months.. obviously the wrong thing to do but I can't help myself!

 

[25weeker]

Bride2b - Def keep asking for a scan at 18 weeks. My hospital only scanned until 22 weeks but I kept saying to them I wanted one at 24 weeks which I eventually got.

Gwenylovey - great to hear your measurement which so good.

d_b - good luck on Wednesday.

mummy3 - Hoping everything is ok.

sunny - how are you doing?

Well I am now 26+1 so I am now stepping into new territory as I have never been this pregnant before Still not far enough for me to relax any but heading in the right direction. I see my consultant on Wednesday again but don't think much will happen then as I have no more cervical scans and I will be getting a growth scan at 28 weeks.

 

[LucyJ]

everyone,

Looking for some advice and think you ladies maybe able to help. I am 24 weeks pregnant with my 5th pregnancy very sadly my first 3 ended in mc, I had two missed miscarriage were I had to have erpc and one natural loss. I very luckily went onto have a fourth pregnancy which ended in my beautiful baby boy (who is now 21 months) it was a very up & down pregnancy with some complications he was breech and due to my placenta failing he had to be born early at 36 weeks so I never went into labour with him.

Since having him I had to have treatment for precancerous cell. I had regular scans at the beginning of this pregnancy as like with my son I had lots of bleeding & cramping they didn't measure my cervix and when we went for our 20 week scan the consultant (due to my history I am midwife and consultant led) sent me back in to have my cervical length measured it was 28mm he said it was ok but just ok and wanted to keep an eye on it to check for any changes, so I was booked in for a scan at 24 weeks which I had done last Friday. I also got a growth scan which I wasn't expected my son was little so they want to keep an eye on this baby have another growth scan at 28 and 35 weeks. My cervical length is now measuring at 25mm when the scan lady put pressure on my tummy there was no change to the cervix which was a good thing. We then saw the consultant (a different one this time) who was very matter of fact just said 25mm is fine and that was it she was half way out of her seat when I was asking a question about the fact it had changed she didn't really answer me but said I could request a cervical scan at my next growth scan which seemed odd to me. I then asked her if it could shorten again and all she said was well you didn't go into early labour with your son I responded with I didn't go into labour with my son at all he had to be delivered early due to my placenta failing (it felt like she hadn't even read my notes and was very dismissive) I also pointed out that they never measure my cervical length with my son so I don't know what it was and then that was it and she was gone. I have always had amazing care from the hospital through the mc and pregnancies this is the first time I left feeling a bit unsure about things.

I'm seeing my midwife this week so going to have a chat with her just looking for advice I'm realise 25mm is on the low end of the scale but still in the normal range I think what worries me more than anything is that it has changed and the consultant at 20 weeks that's what his concern was. I feel odd going for a 28 week scan and requesting another scan will they do it?Really hope I don't have to see the same consultant as I've just seen didn't like her she didn't even introduce herself.

 

[d_b]

Can you not just ask for them to look at your cervix during that 28 week scan?

25mm is what my doctor considers a borderline length. I was told above 25mm is ok (but they want 30mm). At under 25 mm (if it has decreased from the last measurement, anyway) my doctor gets concerned.

I had very similar measurements to you in my last pregnancy, 29mm at 21 weeks and 24mm at 24 weeks. I was put on bedrest at 24 weeks and remeasured at 28 weeks, when I was back to 29mm. After that they stopped measuring as there's nothing they could do, I was already on bedrest - I was told to stay on modified bedrest (basically take it easy) until 34 weeks.

I know 36 weeks is early and you could potentially have gone into early labour at 36.5 weeks, but my doctor seemed to be most concerned about delivery before 34 weeks so maybe that is why your consultant says you will be ok since you didn't go into early labour. I don't agree with that but maybe that is their thought process! My doctor says every pregnancy is different and although I went nearly to term last time he is still scanning my cervix every month.

 

[d_b]

Just a post with my updated measurements:

19w - 3.2cm
24w - 2.6cm

I'm getting rescanned in a week.

 

[monro84]

Well went to appt yesterday had another GD test even messed up and drank 2 cokes because I messed up on the first one so but I stil passed they said I was a little anemic but 9 out of 10 women at this stage was. Had another cervical scan and it was back to 2cm and I even saw on the US how open it was it was (looked like it funneled to the stitch) alot more open from 2 wks ago. He asked me what I did this weekend that I was not suppose to I said I mopped (I forgot to tell him about the babies r us shopping trip and trip to sams club) He said he was going to be truthful with me and he told me that if I was going to keep doing things I was not suppose to do he was going to put me on hospital bedrest for a few weeks. I told him I would be good. So I guess back to doing nothing again and hoping next week I get a good report. He said he wanted to make it at least 2 to 3 more week that way he would be a lot better for the baby. I asked if I make it to then when would I have my stitch out he said 36 or 37 wks. So I have 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 more weeks left.

So this scan (5/29/13) my cervix shortened back to 2 cm and looked to be funneled to stitch. 2 wks ago it was 3 cm but 3 wks ago it was 2 cm.

 

[Swisswife]

I went to the dr. today. My cervix is now 2.7 at 24 weeks but closed and firm. He wants to put me on sick leave already in two weeks so that i can stay still.

He freaked me out by talking about steroid shots and the risk of prematurity as he says the baby will get heavier and put more pressure on my cervix. He says there is no other course of action apart from the progesterone and bed rest.

 

[25weeker]

All measurements updated - I hope

D_b good luck next week.

Monroe not long until your stitch will be removed. I think funnelling to the stitch is expected as you get bigger.

Swisswife it's good you have no funnelling and fingers crossed your cervix stays strong. I would recommend you get the steroids because they will benefit if you do go early and if you make it to term they won't do any harm

 

[monro84]

This measurement was 2.7 cm so better than 2

 

[monro84]

Finally saw dr yesteday. He was very happy with the measurements. He said I need to make it 2 more wks (34 wks) and then we can both quit worrying and I will be off restrictions. He said I will have my stitch out at 37 wks. He also said that was my last cervical scan.