Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[lizziedripping]

Hi everyone I really need some advice. I posted on here a while ago, but really haven't said much since although I have been following this constantly. I'm really not much of a talker unless I am really worried about something, but I would really like to try and be more involved so maybe some of my worries can be eased.

I recently lost a baby at 23 weeks due to IC. My current doctor I have now(not the same doctor I have previously) agrees that it was more than likely because of IC. So he is referring me to a high risk clinic where he said they will decide if I need a cerclage or not. I will be 16+1 when I have a booking appointment in this high risk clinic where they will asses me and decide if they want to give me a cerclage or not.

I am convinced a cerclage will help me so I will definitely be pushing to have one, but will 16+ some days really late to be getting one?

I don't think I could handle what happened before to happen again so I really want everything to be done right. My doctor(not the high risk one) said he will be monitoring me though before I go just in case my cervix does change before.

I am just going to be in constant worry until the appointment. I wish I could just have some answers on for sure if they are going to give me the stitch or not. I am so impatient.

Grace honey, given that you lost your last baby at 23wks, it's likely that your cervix began to change at 20wks or thereabouts. Did you have any symptoms of pressure, bleeding or pain last time - if so when did it start?

There are some ladies who experience loss due to IC as early as 15/16wks, but given that you held on until 23, I doubt that your cervix began to change that early. With my preemie daughter I experienced lots of vaginal pressure from around 19wks. It picked up pace at 22wks and my cervix was dilated by 23wks. 16 wks still allows time to get an elective stitch in place, but you need to urge them to place it before 18wks at that appt if possible sweet. Good luck

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi there,

I had 8 follies and we're guessing maybe 3 or 4 mature. Could be more but my uterus is tipped and it's REALLY hard to see the left.

Hubby had over 66million swimmies too. He's been grunting all day at his "manliness".

 

[Agiboma]

Thanx for the advice everyone, i try to avoid as much housework as possible and i don't lift anything, im just hoping that time will go by quickly to 24 weeks now, i do try and rest as much as i can, i don't think my MIL understands because everytime im sitting down she tells me i need to exercise and its not good for the baby if im just relaxing n resting!!

Please ignore your MIL, when i was pregnant with my first son i lost him @ 20 weeks my mother kept on urging me to exercise and go for walks and i did, i had so much pressure those days not knowing i had IC and she could not understand so i beg you to just ignore her and hope she starts to mind her own business.

 

[Hope2302]

@ twinkle, very normal to feel kicks that low. I felt them and still feel them occasionally. Don't worry too much.
@ grace, welcome. The ladies have answered your questions can't say more but would want to say I am sorry for our loss and wishing you a healthy baby at the end of this pregnancy
@ MA, all the best.

 

[chocolatecat]

Angel - sounds good! Fingers crossed for you! Fertility treatment is such a roller coaster!!

Lizzie (and everyone else). I asked this before but it got lost in my mother's day pity party.

Would you/did you have steroids at 24 weeks without PTL? My consultant is suggesting I have them next week.

Also, did anyone NOT funnel/shorten with their stitch in place? I'm nearly 23 and it's still long. I was told pre-pregnancy that my cervix was soft and weak, but not short. So maybe it won't shorten, but I'm now worrying I'll experience PTL from my small uterus.

Any advice appreciated!!!

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

Agiboma I have a question if its not too personal. With your loss did they section you or was it natural delivery

 

[Agiboma]

With my 20 week loss it was natural, everything happened so fast, ill narrate how it all happened. I had this snotty, slimy discharge for a 3 days then it became tinged with blood and this aweful pressure. I went to the dr on day3, that day they did not examine down below, my dr said baby is active with a strong heartbeat and he even has the hiccups no problem go home and rest so i did. Later that night i woke up to contractions and within hours felt the need to push and then my son Caleb was born @ 20 weeks still in his sac, sucking his thumb, one of the most beautiful faces i have ever seen. I called my ob and narrated the story to him and the autopsy came back on Caleb and could not find anything wrong with him. So i was diagnoised with IC and told next pregnancy i would get a tvc.

 

[Craigswife]

Small question for you ladies. I've woken up today having mild shooting sensation in my vagina somewhere, i cant pin point where because its so quick, but somewhere on the right internally! It only lasts seconds and is now and again, it's not painful, it just happens. It happened one afternoon the other week and went as quickly as it came. I'm sure it's nothing because I feel fine otherwise. Just wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar? Honestly I think I will drive myself crazy in this pregnancy worrying about every ache and pain ;-)

 

[Twinkle 3]

Craigswife that happens to me all the time! its exactly as you describe it, I even told the hospital (I tell them about every sensation or pain lol) was told it was normal. It is worrying experiencing pains, I never know if pains are normal pregnancy ones or if it's because of IC

 

[Twinkle 3]

Agiboma I'm sorry for your loss, it's horrible that ladies with incompetent cervix have to go through a loss or close to a loss first before we get the stitch in a pregnancy

Chocolate cat I'm having steroids at 24weeks even if my cervix is great, hopefully it will be but I still will be having steroids and I can't wait for 24weeks for the steroids at it will make a huge difference to my little ones lungs if he is born early

 

[Craigswife]

Twinkle, as you've been given the same advice as I have about what you can/can't do I'm wondering what your days are like, I see from your ticker you have a nearly 4yr old. My little one was 4 on Sunday. My husband helps out a lot with him, but I still need and want to do some things for him, it's tricky! I'm still working and have a sit down job, my doctor says so long as my job doesn't cause any risks then is fine to carry on, I've got a desk job, so works out fine. It does my state of mind the world of good. im lucky because i can leave early if i need too.
I'm only doing light stuff around the house, but continually analyse everything I'm doing. I feel fine so have no cause for concern.
I've got my 20wk scan tomorrow and see my obstetrician again, which is reassuring........that's my real obstetrician, not my MIL who thinks she's one!!!!
Oh and by the way the shooting sensations have gone!
I see your having steroids at 24wks, I'm not having mine till 26wks. Feels like years away!

 

[xGracex]

Thanks lizzie..
I had experienced some pressure like pain down in my vagina area last time but I don't remember when. I remember when I told them they said it was just stretching pains. Also I had my anatomy scan at 18 weeks so would they have picked up cervix changes then? Because if they check for that at normal scans then I would have been fine then

I'm feeling a lot better about going in at 16 weeks because like you said it didn't really happen until later than that!

 

[Twinkle 3]

My little girl is 4 next month and she is a handful! She isn't at school yet so she's at home with me all day which is hard to try and care for her, run a house and still rest. My OH looks after her as much as he can and he's also taken responsibility for the housework and shopping.which is really hard as he dosnt do things the way I do and all I want to do is take over but I'm trying to turn a blind eye to the housework until our little boys born.

I think I would be better doing something like you to take my mind off things. I find my days go faster when I'm occupied but unfortunately with having IC it's not every day I can do something or go somewhere to occupy my mind.

My OH works alternative mornings and afternoons so the week he's on mornings my mum comes and helps dress my little girl and make beds and tidies around a little then my OH will be back intime to make the tea bath my little girl and put her to bed. Then when my OH is on afternoons he does everything my mum does in the morning before he goes to work then my mum will help me when he's at work to do the things he normally does.

I do try and rest as much as possible but having a nearly 4yr old it's hard as she asks for things every two mins and always wanting me to play with her. I try not to go out too much but every so often I'll go shopping or somewhere with little walking. I also wonder how much I can and can't do and there's somedays like yesterday when I'll over do it and not rest as much as I usually would then I panic lol. Yesterday I put some washing in, made tea and bathed my little girl, so I ended up very achey and uncomfortable.. Which was my own fault really

24 weeks seems like such a long time away for me, I sit every day counting down the days lol

 

[Craigswife]

Twinkle, I know what you mean about lively children! My little one also doesn't start school until September, he does nursery a couple of days but also needs entertaining, he's not the kind of kid that likes to sit and do colouring, he'd rather being charging around being a dinosaur! But we get by, cbeebies and a stack of dvd's help! I try and balance periods of being busy by periods of sitting or lying down. The advice I was given was to be sensible, not to do anything too strenuous, but go about my usual activities, which I'm doing but cautiously. I'll ask more questions tomorrow when i see my ob.
I know what you mean about the other half and there standards of cleaning, I also try and keep quiet!! I think dusting is about as much as I can do, lol!!
I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but I know of a friend who had 5 stitches with all 5 of her pregnancies and she didn't have any of her babies before 35ish weeks, they're now 5 healthy children. So I often pick her brains!!

 

[TLM21]

hello everyone
@agI I'm so sorry for your loss, it's awful that most of us have to have a painful story in order to.be diagnosed with IC. my ob was keeping an eye since I told him my mom had it as well, but everything happened too fast. now I understand in a way that everything happens for a reason... so everyday I'm constantly thanking powers above...

@cw and twinkle you made me laugh thanks, I think I put blinds on my eyes to not see how much cleaning there needs to be done. I decided to pay my niece who needed the cash as she is in college to clean every 2 weeks, floors and dust. I wish it was daily...lol
you both are rockstars doing all this with having another child to take care of.

 

[mpg1502]

Dear Lizzie,

I just wanted to let you know about the safe arrival of our beautiful daughter Annabel. She arrived at 38 weeks and is in perfect health. The Shirodkar stitch held the entire time although it was down to 1cm from 14 weeks.

Thank you again for all your invaluable advice and kind words. You are a godsend to all who visit this thread.

Best wishes

M x

 

[LoveSeel]

My first week home on bedrest is going well. I can't believe it's been 8 weeks since I was last mobile. I had an appointment yesterday and the babies are looking great but my blood pressure was high (140/98). I just started my 3rd 24 hour urine test for preeclampsia since I've been having high blood pressure on and off for the last month. I pray it's another negative result because I was told yesterday if it's positive and/or my blood pressure goes up even higher I will need to deliver this week. I'm getting so close to 34 weeks and I was also told if I make it to 34 weeks I could come off bedrest. Please pray I can keep these babies in a little longer.

 

[Tink_0123]

Hello Ladies,

LoveSeel, Hope all tests come back negative for pre-e.. FX for u.. You've done great getting this far with twins and no stitch, keep up the good work girl Please keep us posted on your results. Good luck!!

Wunderful, how you been?? I don't think I've read any posts from you recently.

Hope everyone is doing well and cooking those babies

AFM, I've been reading your posts daily, but just been too exhausted to write.. I know I was wanting to be off bed rest for the longest, but now I'm too out of shape to even walk a bit. I haven't done much really, couple of trips to the store and sitting for a while but that's about it. My tail bone hurts when I sit for over 20 minutes and sleeping has become a bit difficult as Miss Audrey is I guess trying to engage and keeps pushing down (freaking hurts) I guess its those lightening pains.

Just wanted you ladies to know you're always on my mind, I wish you all happy and healthy pregnancies and babies

 

[Hope2302]

@ mpg, congrats on ur lil one. Good news.
@ loveseel, touch wood your babies stay in longer. You've done great and I am hoping the test comes back negative
@ tink, I know how you feel. Bedrest for a long time really messes up with your activity levels even when you are now free and safe to do more. Take care of u and Audrey....

 

[Tink_0123]

Hope, youre doing great! 34 weeks and counting yay!! Have they scheduled ur stitch removal yet?

Yes, bed rest does mess with your body.. Although im no longer on house arrest i am now a prisoner in my own body.. O well, all worth it hehe