I'd love your opinions!

[CrunchyJenny]

Hi Ladies,

I wanted to get your opinions as I know many of you have been through what I have. I had by baby boy at 24+4 after being in "labour" for 9 days. It was never truly labour until a few hours before I had him because while my cervix fully dilated, I never actually contracted until soon before he came. My water didn't break until he was almost out. He lived for 3 weeks but passed away from what we think was an infection.

I know it's always hard to figure out why this happens, but I'm wondering if any of you who have had similar experiences can give me any clues as to possible causes. I had no real pain before I learned that I was fully dilated, which tells me it's possibly incompetent cervix? I know they did find an infection in the placenta, but from what I can tell that may have happened after I dilated. I'll be seeing the high risk OB in a few months but till then I'd love to see what you all think.

 

[dairymomma]

I haven't had a loss that late but incompetent cervix does sound like a possible and probable cause. I don't think it's diagnosed 'officially' unless it happens like this again. I'd ask your doctor what they think. I'm so sorry for your loss and I'm sending your way.

 

[CrunchyJenny]

I haven't had a loss that late but incompetent cervix does sound like a possible and probable cause. I don't think it's diagnosed 'officially' unless it happens like this again. I'd ask your doctor what they think. I'm so sorry for your loss and I'm sending your way.

Thanks Dairymomma, best wishes for your newest little one!

 

[dairymomma]

Thanks. I still have to get passed my last m/c milestone of 14+1 but I'm feeling a tad more hopeful as the days go by. I hope you get some answers yourself and that your doctor is able to help you figure out what happened and why.

 

[mhazzab]

Firstly im so sorry for your loss.
This isn't how it happened for me, so I'm not speaking from experience and I'm no doctor. But from what I have read after my loss it would point to incompetent cervix as a possible cause. And I'd guess it's likely an infection took hold once the cervix was dilated.

One thing I will say is don't let doctors fob you off for any future pregnancy, dismissing IC or telling you all will be ok next time. I have met several people who were told this and sadly it happened again. If you do plan to try again make sure you get a care plan in place ahead of time to put your mind at rest. I'm not saying this to scare you just want to make sure you never have to go through this again x

 

[CrunchyJenny]

Firstly im so sorry for your loss.
This isn't how it happened for me, so I'm not speaking from experience and I'm no doctor. But from what I have read after my loss it would point to incompetent cervix as a possible cause. And I'd guess it's likely an infection took hold once the cervix was dilated.

One thing I will say is don't let doctors fob you off for any future pregnancy, dismissing IC or telling you all will be ok next time. I have met several people who were told this and sadly it happened again. If you do plan to try again make sure you get a care plan in place ahead of time to put your mind at rest. I'm not saying this to scare you just want to make sure you never have to go through this again x

Thank mhazzab, I was told while in hospital that next time around they would monitor me very closely. I'm lucky to live close to a hospital with an excellent team of Maternal Fetal Medicine Drs. I'm aware (and scared!) that it could happen again so I'm determined to be my own advocate.

 

[mhazzab]

Firstly im so sorry for your loss.
This isn't how it happened for me, so I'm not speaking from experience and I'm no doctor. But from what I have read after my loss it would point to incompetent cervix as a possible cause. And I'd guess it's likely an infection took hold once the cervix was dilated.

One thing I will say is don't let doctors fob you off for any future pregnancy, dismissing IC or telling you all will be ok next time. I have met several people who were told this and sadly it happened again. If you do plan to try again make sure you get a care plan in place ahead of time to put your mind at rest. I'm not saying this to scare you just want to make sure you never have to go through this again x

Thank mhazzab, I was told while in hospital that next time around they would monitor me very closely. I'm lucky to live close to a hospital with an excellent team of Maternal Fetal Medicine Drs. I'm aware (and scared!) that it could happen again so I'm determined to be my own advocate.

Definitely! I'm glad you have a good medical team nearby, and I hope they can help you find some answers and set out a plan for the future. A couple of my friends have IC and had a TAC (trans abdominal cerclage, I think) placed...it might be worth researching, I'd never heard of them before.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas xx

 

[luckycharm1]

I had my daughter at 26 weeks and at first I was told it was due to infection. With my second I went for a growth scan and my cervix was 12 mm short and was funneling. I was then told that I have a an incompetent cervix which is only diagnosed after at least 2 or more premature births and losses.

 

[CrunchyJenny]

Thanks for the support ladies, I had my long awaited appointment with the MFM doc and he gave me the go ahead to start ttc again. He said because of the "silent dilation" that it's most likely IC. He said I'd be a candidate for a preventative cerclage at 12 weeks next time around as well as possibly progesterone shots.

I have heard good things about the transabdominal cerclage but I think I'll have to wait so see what happens with the next pregnancy to consider that.