Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[lch28]

it feels like it is right in my cervix =[

 

[Alisa F]

Was hoping to have a response but will ask my consultant as I have to see him tomorrow in clinic anyway

Sorry hon I'm couple weeks behind you with my first stitch so I didn't have any useful advice good luck with consultant though. 28 wks is not too late to get accurate cervical measurement by transvag ultrasound. Perhaps you could get a scan for peace of mind .... xxx

 

[mayaa]

Hi everyone! Hope all of you are doing great! I'm now 34 weeks! Had an ultrasound last monday, at 33 weeks and found out that the baby is around 2.2 kgs! My AFI which was 19 at 28 weeks, came down to 16.6 at 33 weeks! I was so relieved! Cervix is down to 1.6 cms with only the stitch holding the 1 cm. There is a loose loop of cord around baby's neck but my doc is not overly concerned about it!

I had a braxton hicks episode at 31 weeks and had to be hospitalized for 2 days... BHs were coming about every 5 mins, though they were painless... I was given a muscle relaxant drip and then they stopped. After that I had been getting those BHs on and off but my doc told me not to come to the hospital unless they turn painful!

My worry now ladies, is the stitch! It has done a great job in getting me to 34 weeks, but my doc feels it is more of a risk to keep it intact until 36 weeks as I'm having BHs already. They aren't affecting my cervix now, but she is just concerned if they will turn into PTL stuff and cause it to rip through my cervix. I have this fear too. So to put everyone's mind at ease, my doc suggested removing it at 35 weeks, this weekend, but have not finalized anything. I have a checkup tomorrow and hopefully I will know by then. I'm too confused about this. What if removing the cerclage and the irritation it causes, trigger contractions? I really want to hold until 36 weeks now that I have reached this mark and also not risk PTL to rip through my cervix. I really need your advice ladies...please let me know your thoughts/experience...Need to put my mind at ease...

 

[kimbotrav]

Hey girls I'm being monitored for cervical incompetence and my next appointment is in just under 2 weeks. I started feeling a few twinges down there since Thursday and that familiar feeling of pressure, only slight mind compared to what I had last time with my second daughter but it still feels familiar to my last pregnancy. I was concerned enough to ring DOU on Friday evening which I was told to do by my consultant if I had any concerns. However the midwife just totally fobbed me off, when I explained my history she just said oh well you wouldn't be getting a stitch until 22 -24 weeks, I said no my consultant said it could be from 12 weeks onwards depending on what the cervix was doing, then she asked if I had any bleeding and I said no but there was increasing discharge (again which I had with my last pregnancy) and she just said go to bed, I wasn't bleeding so she wasn't concerned and there wasn't anything they could do anyway?! I'm really pissed off at her attitude. I didn't have any bleeding the last time until I lost my mucus plug at 25 weeks and even then it was only mild staining. I think she just didn't care because I'm not 24 weeks or over I'm giving serious thought to making a complaint to the consultant. If anything goes wrong between my appointments I was told to contact DOU but now they're telling me there isn't anything they can do...so who on earth do I contact?!! Sorry just venting girls, still annoyed about it all. The pressure is gone every morning I'm getting up but by the end of the day its back again, I just hope the cervix isn't funneling....have any of you had your cervix funneling and noticed any sensations with it?
xo

hi htis sounds ver familiar to my last pregnancy like your self i started having twinges knew something wasnt rite ten started loosing my plug rang midwife she blew me of to oh its nothing t worry aboput 1 even told me 2 do pelvic floor exercises that will stop the pian what the hell i knew they were talking rubbish after i rang them i rang the maternity ward at hospital tolf them i was worried they had me comein to take a swab to check for thrush when they fpound i was 4/5 cm dilated at 28 weeks...so i say go above ure midwife if ure concerned go and get checked ignore them u know ure body god luck xxxxxx

 

[ChovieGirl]

it feels like it is right in my cervix =[

How did your appt go?

 

[ChovieGirl]

Hi everyone! Hope all of you are doing great! I'm now 34 weeks! Had an ultrasound last monday, at 33 weeks and found out that the baby is around 2.2 kgs! My AFI which was 19 at 28 weeks, came down to 16.6 at 33 weeks! I was so relieved! Cervix is down to 1.6 cms with only the stitch holding the 1 cm. There is a loose loop of cord around baby's neck but my doc is not overly concerned about it!

I had a braxton hicks episode at 31 weeks and had to be hospitalized for 2 days... BHs were coming about every 5 mins, though they were painless... I was given a muscle relaxant drip and then they stopped. After that I had been getting those BHs on and off but my doc told me not to come to the hospital unless they turn painful!

My worry now ladies, is the stitch! It has done a great job in getting me to 34 weeks, but my doc feels it is more of a risk to keep it intact until 36 weeks as I'm having BHs already. They aren't affecting my cervix now, but she is just concerned if they will turn into PTL stuff and cause it to rip through my cervix. I have this fear too. So to put everyone's mind at ease, my doc suggested removing it at 35 weeks, this weekend, but have not finalized anything. I have a checkup tomorrow and hopefully I will know by then. I'm too confused about this. What if removing the cerclage and the irritation it causes, trigger contractions? I really want to hold until 36 weeks now that I have reached this mark and also not risk PTL to rip through my cervix. I really need your advice ladies...please let me know your thoughts/experience...Need to put my mind at ease...

It sounds like you are right on track with some of us! I am having my stitches removed this Wednesday at 35+5 and doctor thinks that I won't hold him in too much longer since I don't have much cervix length left...I am not dilated though. I know that our babies need to stay in as long as possible, but the success rate for having a baby at 35 weeks is really good. I think almost as good as a baby full term, just might need to stay in the NICU for a little while. My doctor also is being careful to prevent my stitches from tearing. Ouch! I have heard that messing around with the cervix can cause contractions, but I don't think that is the norm (very low chance). From what I read, most ladies go into labor withing 1 or 2 weeks of having their stitches removed and then there are some that even go past their due date! It is really hard to predict.

I know this is not an actual answer to your concerns, but know we are right there with you!

 

[Hopeful 4 #1]

Well. Had a length check today and i am back down to 2.3cm. Steroids were discussed and i hav to gi back in 7days for another length check. If I have shortened again then its steroids and ffn test. I personally think I might scrape 32 weeks

 

[baby_maybe]

32 weeks would still be ok with the right care hopeful. My second dd was born at just over 32 weeks and is a perfectly healthy 11 year old now You still have a reasonable length of cervix left at this point so if you take it easy (well as easy as you can with a LO!), them you should be able to get yourself a few weeks further.

 

[Hopeful 4 #1]

Whats the typical NICU stay for a 32weeker do u think! I do hope to get even two weeks further than that but we will see eh

 

[WTBmyBFP]

"They" always say plan on edd for release date from NICU, but I would guess just over a month for a 32 weeker. Some 34-35 weekers go home in about 5 days to two weeks.

 

[Jen1802]

My friend's little boy was in NICU the same time as my daugther was, he was born at 32 weeks and was in NICU for less than a week and then in SCBU for less than 3 weeks. It obviously depends on the baby too but he did really well, had some respiratory distress syndrome but was able to come off cpap by the 2nd week and then the rest of his stay was due to getting the hang of feeding. I remember quizzing the consultant the day after they got out with him when Juno would be getting out as she'd been in so long and she said that he wasn't considered premature but pre-term which is different and they have a much higher rate for doing well and getting home after a reasonably short stay. 32 weeks would be brilliant to get to!! Good luck! xo

 

[Jen1802]

it feels like it is right in my cervix =[

Did you get it checked Ich? Hope everything is ok! x

 

[baby_maybe]

Hopeful - as wtb said they always say to aim for edd, but having said that it does greatly depend on individual babies and if they've had steroids and birth weight etc. My LO we were very lucky with her and she was home by just over 3 weeks post birth, so about 35 1/2 weeks gestational age. She had no breathing issues and was in air by 24 hours after birth and then we were just waiting for her to gain weight and feed properly. But as I say we were extremely lucky with how that played out.

 

[lizziedripping]

Hi girls. Hope everyone is well. Quicky... I am 28wks+3 today and for about a week i have been feeling the stitch when I lie down in bed or turn over. It doesnt hurt but I can def feel something moving about. Is this normal?!

Hi hun, feeling the stitch isn't abnormal, I did as soon as the babies were applying enough weight/pressure to my cervix. If you feel additional pressure or experience any bleeding then it's always worth getting checked, but otherwise try not worry xx

 

[lizziedripping]

Ich, Shelby what's the latest? This thread is moving so fast I feel as though I'm answering everyone a few days too late. Ich, the cramping down below is most likely nothing darlin, just pregnancy/stich stuff. What did your doc say? Xx

 

[lizziedripping]

Well. Had a length check today and i am back down to 2.3cm. Steroids were discussed and i hav to gi back in 7days for another length check. If I have shortened again then its steroids and ffn test. I personally think I might scrape 32 weeks

Hopeful, I wouldn't be too worried about 2.3 at 29wks Hun. Everyone's cervix shortens anyway as pregnancy nears it's final trimester. If you were having regular contractions which were causing it to shorten then it might indicate an earlier than expected labour, but otherwise this in itself isn't an unusual finding for someone with a weak cervix. Remain positive, too many women are convinced they'll never make term only to be stunned when they do

 

[DMJ]

So ... Stitch removal time tomorrow eeekk!!
Go into the hospital at 3pm to have it removed, I'm really nervous. I doubt anything will happen labour wise afterwards but I have my hospital bags in the car ready just in case. Never thought I would get this far and just can't believe how quick the time in between has gone.
Will keep you all updated. Thankyou everyone for all your support

Xxx

 

[baby_maybe]

Congrats to you for making it to stitch removal day So many of us wonder in the middle of 2nd tri whether we will make it and I have twice before and hope to again this time. Good luck for tomorrow

 

[ShelbyLC]

Ich, Shelby what's the latest? This thread is moving so fast I feel as though I'm answering everyone a few days too late. Ich, the cramping down below is most likely nothing darlin, just pregnancy/stich stuff. What did your doc say? Xx

I'm still in the hospital. No release date in the near future. Having contractions on a semi-regular basis, but they aren't painful and they aren't dilating me or shortening my cervix any more. (Measured yesterday and still at 0.7cm, same as three days ago.) Found out last night I have a UTI, which is great news, because that could be why I'm having contractions. Being treated for that now, so hopefully in the next few days the contractions will die down at least a little.

Had the 48 hours of ibuprofen and then the magnesium. Yesterday my doctor put me back on the Procardia. 23 weeks today, which is what my hospital considers to be gestation for viability. Mostly I'm just chilling out and waiting.

Thanks you for asking!

 

[ChovieGirl]

So ... Stitch removal time tomorrow eeekk!!
Go into the hospital at 3pm to have it removed, I'm really nervous. I doubt anything will happen labour wise afterwards but I have my hospital bags in the car ready just in case. Never thought I would get this far and just can't believe how quick the time in between has gone.
Will keep you all updated. Thankyou everyone for all your support

Xxx

Stitch removal time tomorrow for me as well... but at 2pm in Texas!

I am not to nervous about the actual removal, but I have been feeling a lot of pressure on my cervix the last couple of days and it just seems like it has changed a little down there (not sure how to explain), so I am curious how long it will take for me to go into labor once stitches are removed. I am going to take our hospital bags as well... you never know!

It does seem like time has moved by so quickly. Wishing you the best!