Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[LindyB]

Lizzie can I ask you a question or two? Had my internal scan today which was very simple and not uncomfortable. Even had a male sonographer training in the room observing which didn't bother me. The consultant seemed happy with the results. No funnelling, completely closed and straight. However length 2.9cm which after reading this forum I thought was too short. I'll be having it measured every 2 weeks but not necessarily having a stitch this time. Do you think I don't really have IC. I carried to 34 weeks with my first (no stitch) and 37 with my second (elective stitch at 16 weeks with no cervical scans etc). The consultant also advised against lifting. I asked about lifting my son, he is not walking yet due to special needs and weighs just over 9kg. He said this is too heavy even for this stage of pregnancy. He also said that a stitch will only prevent labour up to 24 weeks. I was convinced it was the stitch that took me to 37 weeks last time. I carried on as normal with both previous pregnancies - no bed rest etc. I'm worried that I'm heading for problems between 24 - 30 ish weeks. I always thought a stitch would take away this worry but now I'm not so sure. What do you think? Sorry about the tonnes of questions!

 

[LindyB]

Sorry I forgot to say I am 15 weeks and 2 days.

 

[DMJ]

Sorry ladies but just really need to say this ...

I cant poo and am scared to push down because of the stitch.
What did you ladies do to deal with this?
Sorry tmi

Xx

 

[millieboo1111]

Sorry ladies but just really need to say this ...

I cant poo and am scared to push down because of the stitch.
What did you ladies do to deal with this?
Sorry tmi

Xx

aw DMJ honey feeling crappy!? personally i was bad before pregnancy but with hospital food and bedrest it is worrying when you cant go!

some people need lactulose or fibregel. i personally prefer to eat food stuff and drink loads of water because i know is good for me and baby too so i over indulged in as much fibreress foods as i can get in me...orange juice, prune juice, dried prunes, loads and loads of fruit not bananas. lay off the white wheat foods bread ect, blueberries, strawberries, low fat popcorn, all bran, apples, beans. i really over do it until my body has too go. if this doesnt work can you use those suppositories?

Good luck its a horrible predicament. since i stopped eating chocolate and stretch my legs a little more i feel so much better.

 

[lizziedripping]

Lizzie can I ask you a question or two? Had my internal scan today which was very simple and not uncomfortable. Even had a male sonographer training in the room observing which didn't bother me. The consultant seemed happy with the results. No funnelling, completely closed and straight. However length 2.9cm which after reading this forum I thought was too short. I'll be having it measured every 2 weeks but not necessarily having a stitch this time. Do you think I don't really have IC. I carried to 34 weeks with my first (no stitch) and 37 with my second (elective stitch at 16 weeks with no cervical scans etc). The consultant also advised against lifting. I asked about lifting my son, he is not walking yet due to special needs and weighs just over 9kg. He said this is too heavy even for this stage of pregnancy. He also said that a stitch will only prevent labour up to 24 weeks. I was convinced it was the stitch that took me to 37 weeks last time. I carried on as normal with both previous pregnancies - no bed rest etc. I'm worried that I'm heading for problems between 24 - 30 ish weeks. I always thought a stitch would take away this worry but now I'm not so sure. What do you think? Sorry about the tonnes of questions!

Hi Lindy

Remind me Hun, why did you have a stitch n the second pregnancy? Were there any other issues in your first pregnancy which led to the delivery at 34wks as far as you know? X

 

[snflwrgrl9]

First of all i just want to say how sorry I am to hear your sad sad news Yellowyamyam . if there is anything i can do please ask. you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers

I hope everyone is well! Has anyone heard from Sunkiss or know she is? i remember she said she may be on hospital bedrest from 24 wks so maybe has no internet connection? I havnt seen her post for a while.

I havnt posted in a while as things have been ticking over ok. We are 23+2 now and had our progesterone shots yesterday. Did anyone else feel out of control emotionally after them? It might also be bed rest and the fact the weather has been so nice its got me a little depressed. The littlest thing has nearly sent me over the edge. such as yesterday (before shots) i went to get my prune juice out of patients fridge and someone had opened it, i nearly cried!!! so trivial i know and then later I just thought if thats my only worry today then im doing well

Im so clingy also which is a trait i dont like in me but know i have. I like to see myself as fiercly independent. but ive been lonely even though ive had lots of visitors and my husband is at the hospital 12 hours a day. ive made friends with two lovely women both in similar positions which helps give me hope.

Ive found myself feeling resentment towards my husband because he just wants me chained to the bed and when i try to explain i need a little bit of fresh air now and again or to walk to get a cup of tea he gets upset like im being selfish. We are newly married (march 24th 2012) and havnt had a honeymoon due to all complications. it is a difficult time for us both and when he announces hes going for meals with friends or to a convention we were both planning on going to a year ago i get quite upset. I dont want him not to go because that would be selfish but i just want him to be a little more understanding and sensitive towards me and my needs to keep a balance of health. I am also high risk DVT as my grandmother died from a blood clot and my father nearly died so i do need to keep a certain amount of mobility. Im so sorry for moaning on just thought someone might be able to help or at least understand.

apart from that i had a scan yesterday and since 10 days ago my funnelling is almost the same and my cervix is stable at 26.3mm (last time was 26.7mm) baby is really active a kicks ALOT which is really reassuring.

thank you in advance xx love to you all xx

Hi Millie, I know how you feel about being emotional. This is the hardest thing I've had to go through. It doesn't help that my husband is 5 hours away for a new job. I think of him and just cry. I had my progesterone shot today so I will see if I am more emotional today than usual. I think its just the situation. I hope you start feeling better emotionally.

 

[snflwrgrl9]

Hi everyone,
I asked my doctor today what the soonest was that I could go home. I haven't had many contractions, so, she said she would check to see if I have dialated any more. Well, I am not going home soon. I am now 3 to 4 cm dialated and 75% effaced. Can anyone let me know how long I can stay 3/4? I really want to carry this baby a few more weeks. Do you think it is possible? Still on bedrest in hospital.

We were both shocked I had progressed at all. Bummer. I just want a healthy little boy.

 

[Emerald87]

Hi ladies. May I please get some advice - I am pretty sure I'm going to be a regular here after next Thursday.

At 16+3 I started experiencing BH contractions; yep, very early for a first timer. I attended the emergency department and they dismissed me. Essentially for the last two weeks I've been pushing and pushing every doc I see to check things out.
I finally called my gynaecologist (who detected my ovarian failure before I was even symptomatic) but he sadly doesn't practice as an OBs anymore. However he did provide some advice over the phone - he wanted my cervix checked out to make sure the contractions weren't doing anything.
I pushed my GP for a scan, which I got. Unfortunately I got it done at a place where the sonnographer was pretty ordinary. It was transabdominal (because they're idiots) and the images were so bad that it was overexposed where she took a picture of my cervix so the radiologist wrote the cervix "looks closed" -yep, not "is closed" but looks closed. Ack. However that wasn't the main issue. I'm a med student so I analyse things. I noticed that my cervix has shortened from 40mm at my 12 week scan to 30mm at this scan (17+5). I mentioned it again to my gynae who demanded I see the hospital specialist - they don't really want anything to do with me because I'm before 20 weeks but with a phone call from my GP, they've booked me in in a weeks time.
Apart from the BHs I've noticed a dramatic increase in CM however I thought that was pretty normal for second tri?
Any advice ladies; does this ring any bells for you? Do you think I'm going to be a frequent visitor of this thread as of next Thursday? Will 1 week make a difference?
Thanks

 

[book.fish2011]

Lizzie- hey hun, are you feeling better? Thanks for your wishes and of course for all your support throughout this roller coster.

Bf- how are you hun? How are the twins? Hope you havent had any more surprises... You re next in line i think??

Helen- thanks sweety i too love the name even though many relatives have commented really negatively about it!!

Ellie- i felt exactly the same hun, he was doing my head in with all the restrictions and no nos! Just bare with him, he s just as nervous and wants this baby to be ok n in your arms as you are. Plus he doesnt know whats going on in your body, he doesnt have any control whatsoever so it is more stressful for him!

Hello to everyone else and welcome to all new ladies. I m
Really sorry i cant write or reply to you all but its been 6 days since my
emergency c section and it is hectic already!!I m sure you ll find lots of support on this thread along the way, everyone here is brilliant and they sure were my pillow to rest and vent n relax in lots n lots of weeks on bed rest.

Quick update from me: natalia and i are both back home after a lot of quarelling in the hospital. She stayed in the nicu for 4 days and i caught then many times giving her formula when i was pumping milk for her every three hours. The hospital gets money for the formula so it was convenient. Also they wouldnt let me bf her as often ad she wanted because they had a rule of only every 3 hours. So she continued losing weight and theu wanted to still keep her in even though there was no medical reason behind it. So me n dh barked n barked and eventually we got her out of the nicu. And guess what... She started to put on weight from day one! So now we re both home! She s up bfing almost constantly! Nic is really sweet with his sis and even though he had to sit on me while bfing he s been perfect! I ll post some pictures as soon as i get the time to go on the pc!

Question: to anyone who s had a c section... Did you have a lot of pain in you ribs/lungs/shoulder area??? The pain was excruciating last night, i could barely take a small breath in.

Chris: Glad to hear from you. Glad to hear that you are home. It's sad they fed formula without your consent and you had to fight with the nicu. It sounds like a few hospitals in my home country. Well, there it's a constant fight though with hospital people everyday for various things. I didn't have that pain after csection , like Lizzie said, you probably can get checked by a doc.

No I didn't get admitted again to the hospital and I had an appointment with doc where she said she'll like me to hold out for another 3 weeks. But honestly, I feel I've reached the end. I never never believed I'll make it upto here and you all know how tormented I was. I kept bugging you guys all the way.

Im extremely worried about the finishing line. And things have gone wrong with me for so long, that it hard to have a belief that everything will be fine this time. Especially, with things going wrong when you start believing that everything is falling into place.*

So I just want to keep my fingers and toes crossed and pray to almighty universe to get me past this. Give my babies to me healthy and ALIVE. It will not take away the sadness of the tragedies that happened, but will surely give a reason for me and my family to carry on with life. Please god, just help us get there this time.

Lizzie : do you remember having weird pains at 32 weeks? I have some significant pain in the area left side of my belly button. It specially pains when I move my body slightly or even when I place my hand on that spot. I can feel the babies' moving, so I haven't called the doc.

 

[LindyB]

I had letz treatment for abnormal cells 10 ago twice. I had no complications in my first pregnancy until my waters broke at 34 weeks. Although I was due a smear test and no one could find my cervix to take it. Eventually I saw a gyneocologist at about 31 weeks. He said "No wonder no one could find your cervix - there is hardly anything there!'. With my second pregnancy I told the consultant this and I had a stitch at 16 weeks but no cervical measuring was done. This time my waters broke at 37 weeks. Do you think maybe I have a shorter cervix but necessarily an incompetent one? I'm so confused now!
Thank you

 

[book.fish2011]

Sorry ladies but just really need to say this ...

I cant poo and am scared to push down because of the stitch.
What did you ladies do to deal with this?
Sorry tmi

Xx

I had the same issue because I was anaemic and am on iron supplements. I used a plant product called agiolax which is a stool softener.

 

[Keliann]

Hi ladies,
I am new to this forum, I am 26 weeks today with our baby number 4 (previously I have had 2 preemies) and this pregnancy has been riddled with complications, I have a large subchoronic bleed which bled on and of heavily from 13 weeks to 18 weeks, then at 19 weeks they did my anomaly scan and noted that my cervix was 3 cms and the membranes had lifted above them, at this point the specialist said that there was only a 30% chance I would carry our little man till 24 weeks, We did bed rest at home and progestorone suppositories and made it to 24 weeks and 2 days luckily, then I started contracting, they stoped them using nifedipine. I was given steroids and transferred to another hospital, where there is a NICU and another specialist examined me and decided I was a good candidate for a stitch. He put the stitch in at 24+4 and said I was a cm dialated and about 1.5 cms left of cervical length. He did a cerclage and has put me on strict hospital bed rest since, I am getting frequent tightenings and so am on nifedipine every 6 hours, as well as pain releif and antibiotics for infection and he is continuing with the progesterone as well. He is hopeful I can get to 30 plus weeks but I keep having lots of bloody mucus discharge when I get up to the bathroom, I will have a day or too of nothing and then it will start again, is this normal, or is my cervix changing despite the stitch? I am frightened all the time, the dr has not scanned me since the surgery although he has said he will do a scan next week and see what's going on, he wants to keep me here till at least 28 weeks anyway and will then maybe let me go home or back to a hospital closer to home, has anyone had success with a cerclage placed so late in the pregnancy? What are our chances?

 

[chistiana]

Lizzie- Thanks for the advice hun...i had a chest x ray yesterday and they said it is trapped air from the section...i must have breathed in when they opened me up and then all this wind got trapped and is pushing against my lungs. nothing i can do about it other than wait it out...aarrrrgggg natural births are sooo much easier....

bf- i totally know how you feel babe...i was so scared of the end too...i was happy and excited but at the same time i kept playing all these scenarios in my head...when i went in on friday i wasnt expecting to be admitted and when they took me in as an emergency everything kind of flashed back...the good the bad...everything...but all these feelings are naturals and you need to believe that everything WILL work out...i know it is easy for me to say it now but just look at how far along you ve come..your babies will be here safe and sound whenever they decide to come...plus even though they are twins and might weight less than a singleton it could make no difference at all...natalia was just one but she is still very tiny...nevertheless she s taken on bfing perfectly and everything is as developed as it should. Stay positive my friend, you re about to have your miracles on a few weeks time!

Kelliann- hello. i cant really give you any success stories (lizzie had her stitch at 24 weeks i think but she delivered her beautiful n healthy daughter soon after) but all i can say is that you ve made it to 26w...28w is so close now and if your baby was to be born soon chances are with him/her.

 

[LaRockera]

Hi guys,

well, I haven't been here for ages, please forgive me for that. Life has suddenly become so full and exciting- alas, time is not something I have in abundance at the moment.

I thought I had to post an update like all the other members with success stories have done. My full birth story is on my journal at my siggy ('Besotted').

I'm happy and grateful to announce, we're doing great here. My precious baby was born 3,050 and is now approaching 6 kilos, and is more than 60cm tall! She is a happy, healthy, strong baby, and every day I look at her I tell myself how it was all so worth it- the agony, the stress, the constant trips to triage, everything. I also now understand why mums want to have yet more babies- I can't wait for the next one! I'd do this over and over again (well, hopefully I will).

Weight-wise I'm not impressed with myself, still got about 10 kilos to lose, but the bloating has subsided and so I feel more confident day-by-day.

Here's my little miracle:

https://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff467/LaRayen/100_2534.jpg

Hope everyone else is well. Welcome to our new members, too. I'll soon be back to resume helping the best way I can, as promised.

 

[book.fish2011]

LR: she's an absolute beauty. Pls give her some kisses on my behalf

 

[nhood]

Yellow, I peep my head in every now and then and wanted to say I am so sorry for your lost. I've been through it and there is nothing like IC and losing the battle. Please stay strong my friend. You have beautiful angels protecting you.

 

[LindyB]

Hi keliann. Hope you are feeling ok today on bedrest. I had a stitch with my second child and didn't have any bleeding/discharge but after following this site for a while it seems everyone is different. There are plenty of others on here who have probably experienced something similar and it's turned out ok.
goodluck

 

[lizziedripping]

Hi everyone,
I asked my doctor today what the soonest was that I could go home. I haven't had many contractions, so, she said she would check to see if I have dialated any more. Well, I am not going home soon. I am now 3 to 4 cm dialated and 75% effaced. Can anyone let me know how long I can stay 3/4? I really want to carry this baby a few more weeks. Do you think it is possible? Still on bedrest in hospital.

We were both shocked I had progressed at all. Bummer. I just want a healthy little boy.

Hey sunflower, it is more than possible to go several more weeks at 3/4cms dilated, especially since you are not contracting. You are obviously at more risk of ptl than normal, but I have seen some ladies get to term with dilated cervixes despite being told otherwise by their doctors.

Keep resting, drinking water and try to hold your nerve sweetie, there is still hope

 

[lizziedripping]

Hi ladies. May I please get some advice - I am pretty sure I'm going to be a regular here after next Thursday.

At 16+3 I started experiencing BH contractions; yep, very early for a first timer. I attended the emergency department and they dismissed me. Essentially for the last two weeks I've been pushing and pushing every doc I see to check things out.
I finally called my gynaecologist (who detected my ovarian failure before I was even symptomatic) but he sadly doesn't practice as an OBs anymore. However he did provide some advice over the phone - he wanted my cervix checked out to make sure the contractions weren't doing anything.
I pushed my GP for a scan, which I got. Unfortunately I got it done at a place where the sonnographer was pretty ordinary. It was transabdominal (because they're idiots) and the images were so bad that it was overexposed where she took a picture of my cervix so the radiologist wrote the cervix "looks closed" -yep, not "is closed" but looks closed. Ack. However that wasn't the main issue. I'm a med student so I analyse things. I noticed that my cervix has shortened from 40mm at my 12 week scan to 30mm at this scan (17+5). I mentioned it again to my gynae who demanded I see the hospital specialist - they don't really want anything to do with me because I'm before 20 weeks but with a phone call from my GP, they've booked me in in a weeks time.
Apart from the BHs I've noticed a dramatic increase in CM however I thought that was pretty normal for second tri?
Any advice ladies; does this ring any bells for you? Do you think I'm going to be a frequent visitor of this thread as of next Thursday? Will 1 week make a difference?
Thanks

Hi Emerald and welcome

You're right that a abdominal us is not very accurate as a means of checking cervical status. They can see if it is closed, but it's difficult to determine exact length and I certainly wouldn't be satisfied with it.

Did they take the 12wk measurement abdominally too? If so, then it might be that it was over estimated, in which case you may not have shortened by that much in 4wks. If indeed it has shortened by 1cm then there is a possibility that it is showing signs of weakness under pressure - especially because you are having bh contractions.

At this point it's tough to call because there is very little clear information so far. I'd definitely be pushing for a tvu and a definitive cl, only then can you move forward and act if necessary.

Bh aren't unheard of this early in pregnancy, even in first timers, BUT if your cervix is genuinely shortening as a result, then it might indicate a problem which if caught now is fixable. Good luck

 

[lizziedripping]

I had letz treatment for abnormal cells 10 ago twice. I had no complications in my first pregnancy until my waters broke at 34 weeks. Although I was due a smear test and no one could find my cervix to take it. Eventually I saw a gyneocologist at about 31 weeks. He said "No wonder no one could find your cervix - there is hardly anything there!'. With my second pregnancy I told the consultant this and I had a stitch at 16 weeks but no cervical measuring was done. This time my waters broke at 37 weeks. Do you think maybe I have a shorter cervix but necessarily an incompetent one? I'm so confused now!
Thank you

Hey Lindy. The fact that you carried two babies to near-term implies that you don't have genuine IC hun. That said, because of your previous surgeries, and because you had almost no cervix left at 31wks, it is likely to be less competent than one which is long and closed throughout.

Though it was short by the end, it still managed to support a 34wk baby, and in your second pregnancy got to term with the help of a stitch (which probably reinforced it enough to prevent it from shortening as quickly as before).

There are many women with naturally short cervixes who are non the wiser, but get to term blissfully unaware that their cl is less than average. There is much more to a weak cervix than it being short, and tho you theoretically have less 'room for manoeuvre' as the pregnancy progresses, you obviously had enough to get you easily to 30wks and beyond in the past, so there is no reason why this shouldnt be the case again.

I do understand tho how anxious you must feel knowing that your cl is on the low side, and that you delivered earlier than normal without a stitch. Have the docs said why they don't intend to stitch this time around? Are they monitoring you closely with the intention to treat if anything changes significantly?

I certainly can't see your cervix undergoing catastrophic changes in the next few months even tho it is on the shorter side of normal at 15wks. This might just be 'normal' for you, and you probably have a short but reasonably strong cervix. It does happen, and probably more often than anyone is aware.

Hope that helps xxx