Cervical stitch

[CeliaM]

Anyone had one of these, and care to share their experience?

My doc is referring me to a specialist to discuss this. I'm nervous!!! Last pregnancy an ultrasound found me dilating at 24 weeks, and I spent the rest of the pregnancy on bedrest until the bubs came a month early.

 

[elmaxie]

Hi there!

I have no personal experience of this but I work in an operating theatre and we occasionally have ladies in to get one put in.

All I know is they put stitch around your cervix to keep it shut, and I think(but could be wrong) they remove it near birth some time.
The ladies I have seen get a general anaesthetic for this so they are asleep and it took about 1/2 hour to do the procedure.

I know its easy to say but try not to worry and have a look online for information on this and ask lots of questions when you see the doctor, there is no such thing as a silly question!

Good Luck and I hope this works for you!



Emma.xx

 

[Jem]

Yeah elmaxie is right and they'll remove the stitch before labour x

 

[CeliaM]

Thanks for the info! The more I read online, the worse my nerves get about it! So, I'm going to put it out of my mind until I see the specialist.

 

[starryeye31]

I had a cervical stitch when i lived in Alaska , I was dialted to 5 at 5 months pregnant , i was on complete bedrest and` also put on brethan pills to stop labor , after getting shots to develop babys lungs the doc took me off the pills and let me have baby a month early , without the stitch my baby would have been born very early and probably wouldnt have made it , now she is a healthy 14 year old. if you need it its best you get it done . good luck

 

[akamummy]

Yes I personally havent had it done, but heard that it kind of works like a gathering stitch when you are sewing clothes...they put it in and it helps your cervix close! So its all good. And they take it out again before you go into labour...
You will be ok darl! Keep positive and if doing research online freaks you out....JUST STOP!
for you!

 

[jellybellys]

Hi, I have a stitch in. I lost my daughter last year at 21 weeks, my membranes just started soming down as my cervix was opening. By the time I realised/got to hospital it was too late as I was fully dilated and had an infection. In this pregnancy I had cervical length scans from 17 weeks. My cervix was short (25mm) every time but it began funneling/opening at 21 weeks.. I had a stitch the next day. I had a spinal anaesthetic and the procedure took about 30-40 mins or so. I had alot of bleeding and contractions straight after but they went away after 3 hours or so. I bled lightly for 3 weeks after also.

I am now 29 weeks and still have pressure when standing so am pretty much on rest all day and have no baths or anything that may put pressure on cervix but the stitch is doing it's job so far, they did say getting me to 30 plus weeks was the main priority as there is still a much higher risk of pre term labour even with a stitch in.

I also was scared by what I read online and also have heard alot of sad stories from a bereavement group but that is because only people with bad experiences posted. The doctors that do the stitch are the best ones to talk to as they know the risks/outcomes etc for everyone. My doctor said that if your cervix is genuinely incompetent then the stitch would probably work.

Good luck xx