Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[Hope2302]

@ shelby, glad to know your girls will be coming home soon. They have done so well.x

 

[baby_maybe]

Yep steph 16-24 weeks sounds about right. Then you want to get to 28 if you can because that's when IC doesn't present as much of a problem. Thrush shouldn't be an issue as long as you treat it, more of an annoyance than anything!

 

[lch28]

agree with your doc, 16-24 weeks is the most crucial time. that is when i was the most strict with rest. is thrush a yeast infection? if so ive been plagued with them since getting pregnant. never affected anything. doc always just tells me to get a 7 day treatment cream over the counter, but i always call first.

 

[lizziedripping]

My double cerclage failed...it was great on Monday & suddenly my waters were out of vagina 4 inches last night..Dr managed to gently push them back in & they transferred me to tulsa hospital with nicu but right after I arrived they did vaginal ultrasound & took some gauze out of vagina & was about to look at stitch with speculum & waters busted. 1 stitch already ripped through cervix & Dr managed to get other stitch out before further damage to cervix. I never had contractions at all..cervix were 3cm & great Monday & Wednesday was dilated, stitched ripped cervix & bulging waters...drs have no clue what happened. The Dr at tulsa nicu wants to give me an abdominal cerclage in 3 months then wait 3 more months on getting pregnant again but I ain't going to rush it. We named our beautiful baby girl adalee hope, she weighed 15oz & 10 inches long..she had her mommas nose & daddy's mouth & ears.

OMG Amy, I have been away for a few days, and come back here to read that the worst has happened again to you - I am devastated for you darlin' and I am so sorry Awful news, how are you holding up? You absolutely must not go through this again, it shouldn't keep happening to women like you and there is a way to prevent it.

I know that you fought to get the stitch prior to 16wks to no avail. I'm not certain that doing so would have helped, but in your case there needs to be an elective stitch placed very early (11/12wks). You haven't had a shirodkar stitch yet which might be a less intrusive alternative to TAC, but if you can get the TAC then I'd take it - there are some women for whom this is the o ly thing which works.

So so sorry my love, if there's anything I can do please get in touch

 

[lizziedripping]

I'm terrified of getting pregnant again. My IC was most likely just from carrying twins, but since the girls were my first pregnancy, we don't really know. It's possible that any future singleton pregnancies will go fine and my cervix won't give me any trouble...but there's also the chance that IC is just something I have and I'll always have to deal with it. I don't want to go through all of this again.

You won't go through it again Shelby Hun. With an early stitch as a precaution pregnancy can be achieved in the majority of women. The key is getting the condition recognised in the first place. It astounds me how women like Amy are allowed to do pregnancy time and time again without the simplest of precautions, only to keep losing babies again and again

Brilliant news about the girls coming home btw - enjoy it honey

 

[lizziedripping]

Good news ladies. My FFN test came back negative!!. So of course I have a question. They say the chance of my water breaking in 2 weeks is less than 1%. But with IC is it the same? I mean I have .4 cm of cervix with a stitch so is it safe to get excited?!?! Lizzie? (And ladies) what do you think??

Hey Prayer Don't want you NOT to get excited because it's clear now that you're pregnancy is progressing pretty well even with minimal cervix, and a negative ffn rules out imminent ptl. Whilst It's true that it can't rule out your cervix opening without contractions (a seperate, mechanical issue), it does suggest that all is generally well in the cervix department, and certainly nothing significant is happening which might signal to your body it's time to deliver from a contraction/labour perspective. You're doing brilliantly sweetie, hope that helps

 

[lizziedripping]

Just to add Prayer after reading back through some of your other posts - IC generally isn't a problem after 28wks in the sense that the baby is now too big to pass through the typically3cm gap of a weak and dilated cervix. Also, theoretically if by this point your cervix can withstand the weight of a 28wk baby without dilating and then triggering ptl, then it is likely that it will continue to do so 'by default' for want of a better expression.

Your cervix initially dilated enough to let the membranes bulge down. The stitch pulled it back together, albeit leaving it closed but short. The mechanical process of shortening isn't the same as labour and dilation under the influence of contractions. So far it has demonstrated a significant degree of 'give' as your baby has grown and uterus has stretched, to be expected with a truly weak cervix. All cervixes, normal or weak shorten as the uterus expands - cervical incompetency means that this process is dramatic and before time. How 'before time' is sadly reflected in the outcome

Yours can quite feasibly remain at this length now for the duration from a purely mechanical point of view (many IC ladies sail comfortably to term on very little cervix). The only risk is that the cervical changes sometimes trigger the process of labour - also possible, and this risk is theoretically greater in women with a dilated short cervix than those with a long closed one - I stress theoretically because there is still huge uncertainty and often no rhyme or reason as to how or why this happens in some ladies and not others. The ffn test has however ruled this out in the short term for you

Hope that long and rambling explanation has kind of helped lovely xx

 

[lizziedripping]

Hello and welcome to the new ladies

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

Just to add Prayer after reading back through some of your other posts - IC generally isn't a problem after 28wks in the sense that the baby is now too big to pass through the typically3cm gap of a weak and dilated cervix. Also, theoretically if by this point your cervix can withstand the weight of a 28wk baby without dilating and then triggering ptl, then it is likely that it will continue to do so 'by default' for want of a better expression.

Your cervix initially dilated enough to let the membranes bulge down. The stitch pulled it back together, albeit leaving it closed but short. The mechanical process of shortening isn't the same as labour and dilation under the influence of contractions. So far it has demonstrated a significant degree of 'give' as your baby has grown and uterus has stretched, to be expected with a truly weak cervix. All cervixes, normal or weak shorten as the uterus expands - cervical incompetency means that this process is dramatic and before time. How 'before time' is sadly reflected in the outcome

Yours can quite feasibly remain at this length now for the duration from a purely mechanical point of view (many IC ladies sail comfortably to term on very little cervix). The only risk is that the cervical changes sometimes trigger the process of labour - also possible, and this risk is theoretically greater in women with a dilated short cervix than those with a long closed one - I stress theoretically because there is still huge uncertainty and often no rhyme or reason as to how or why this happens in some ladies and not others. The ffn test has however ruled this out in the short term for you

Hope that long and rambling explanation has kind of helped lovely xx

Thanks so much Lizzie. I just want an excuse to breathe easy. Before 27 weeks and some days I just prayed for viability. Now I don't think it's enough. Lol now I want to bring my baby home in my arms after delivery! Thanks so much Lizzie. I'll be good after my baby shower at 32 weeks!! I'm going to try and enjoy the rest of this pregnancy. I think I've earned it.

One more question Lizzie , what kind of restrictions should there be at 28 weeks and .5 cervix. My peri says bedrest like I have been( which is a mix between strict and modified) and my OB just says to " take it easy".??

 

[ShelbyLC]

Just a quick update -

Britton had a heart rate drop late last night, so she's got to go 7 days now before she gets to go home. Tegan is being discharged on Tuesday and Britton next Saturday if all goes well! I'm heading to the hospital in a few minutes to stay with them for the next 36 hours (now until Tuesday morning). I've been told that the doctors have said I can breastfeed them while I'm with them! I'm so excited. Definitely looking forward to this time with my girls and Tegan's homecoming on Tuesday. FX for Britton on Saturday.

Hope you're all doing well!

 

[lch28]

aww shelby sorry about the heart rate drop, but im so happy you get to have a stay in with the girls! amazing you will be able to breast feed them they will both be home so soon. enjoy your time with your lovely little ladies!

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

Shelby! Heart rate dropped sucked I bet good news is that she wasn't home when it happened!!! I'm sure they will both be home soon. I use to kangaroo with my daughter all the time because she never had a Brady episode when I did! Hearing my heart rate helped I guess. The up side to them coming home one at a time is that you can adjust. That time with one will help the time to speed up! Have fun at your slumber party with the girls! Take pictures!!

 

[wunderful78]

Oh bummer shelby but enjoy your stay with them the next few days


I get my first cervical length test since my cerclage 18 days ago ...... Tomorrow .... Nervous ... Sigh


I

 

[lch28]

good luck tomorrow hun hope its good news

 

[Agiboma]

@Shely sorry about the setback
@wunderful good luck!!!

 

[Hope2302]

Oh bummer shelby but enjoy your stay with them the next few days


I get my first cervical length test since my cerclage 18 days ago ...... Tomorrow .... Nervous ... Sigh


I

Hope it all goes well for you.

 

[stephb1981]

Thanks ladies,

Shelby i am so pleased for you that the finishing line seems to be in sight and i am sure that the girls will sail through the next week. Lots and lots of fx for you. Ladies like you are such an inspiration to me and give me hope that we can get through this. Enjoy your time this week

Wunderful lots of luck on your cervical scan. Im hoping for good news for you. My stitch has been in 18 days tomorrow but im only 15+4 so the hard part is yet to come. How far along are you?

Just a quick question, Im not actually scheduled for any cervical length checks at all. I guess its just policy in my area of the UK. Should i push for a scan? Also if they dont give me one how will i know if the stitch isnt holding. Will i get pain ie the stitch stretching or ripping? What are the signs that i should be worried about? I sometimes get twingy pains in my flower but only for a second. The consultant told me to ring labour ward if i bleed or have severe discomfort and explain that i have a stitch and they will see me there but i would like to think i would want to know something was wrong before that iykwim?

Sorry for all the ? but thanks for answering them i really appreciate it.

 

[wunderful78]

Thanks hope , ago n stitch
Steph I'm 23+2 , I had an emergency stitch I was he'll paranoid too about going into labour with my stitch, my doctor says I will know about it but even his reassurance doesn't help , I get lightning sharp pains there too not constant I think they should be scanning you regularly , you should be getting an anomaly scan at 20 weeks anyhow but I'd be asking for fortnightly if that's possible they told me contractions , unusual discharge and or quantity changes, bleeding , cramping (not gas) hehe I already made that mistake to go to LD or ring my ob if its office hours

 

[stephb1981]

Im excited tho i go for a gender scan with babybond on thursday. Would you ladies pls take a guess on the gender. This was at 14+1. Thankyou. xx

 

[stephb1981]

Thanks hope , ago n stitch
Steph I'm 23+2 , I had an emergency stitch I was he'll paranoid too about going into labour with my stitch, my doctor says I will know about it but even his reassurance doesn't help , I get lightning sharp pains there too not constant I think they should be scanning you regularly , you should be getting an anomaly scan at 20 weeks anyhow but I'd be asking for fortnightly if that's possible they told me contractions , unusual discharge and or quantity changes, bleeding , cramping (not gas) hehe I already made that mistake to go to LD or ring my ob if its office hours

I get gas LOTS he he. I think its just a side effect of having the stitch. My OH friends partner had a stitch and he complained about this! Thanks i think i will request a cervical length check. Even if its for my own peace of mind. I like to know whats goin on down there iykwim. I have my anomoly scan on the 8th feb so i think im goin ask if they can have a peek down there. To be honest at the moment im holding my breath to get past 17 weeks as thats the point i lost my little boy last year So if i go a little crazy in the next week then thats why lol.

What kind of stitch did they place? Mines a shirodker stitch. Maybe we can compare notes over the next few months he he. I think its nice to have support from people that are going through the same thing. If you dont mind?xxx