Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[sunnylove]

Hi ladies,
Sorry to crash in on this thread but I have a question I'm hoping you might be able to answer for me. My consultant is concerned that I am at risk of IC as I had a previous PROM and premature baby born at 33 weeks. No-none is sure whether this was due to IC or something else but in the absence of any other explanation, they are monitoring my cervix this pregnancy just in case.
My last cervical scan was at 20 weeks and it measured 4.9cm which I understand is actually on the long side. I have to go for a repeat scan at 24 weeks.
So my question - in your experience would you say that because my cervix was measuring long at 20 weeks that this is a good sign that I am not suffering from IC or have any of you found that your measurement dropped significantly after 20 weeks?
Any comments or advice very welcome. Thanks. x

Like Lizzie said, very unlikely. At 20 weeks, my cervical length was measuring at about .4 cm. (POINT 4, not 4! lol.) pPROM can happen for a number of reasons and IC isn't always the culprit. I ended up delivering my son at 26 weeks and my water never even broke! I lost my mucus plug 8 days prior, but I never leaked any amniotic fluid during any period of my pregnancy.

 

[lizziedripping]

Hi ladies Shanny and CW, Did either of you have any traces of infection post birth? Did they test the placenta/chorion etc? Prom is one of those things that not much is yet known about. Often infection is a trigger, and so an undortunate one off. Sometimes some women are prone to it, but no one knows why. Sadly there are some women whose membrane ruptures early in the second trimester with no known cause (tho I suspect IC is responsible in those cases more often than medics are willing to acknowledge).

Theoretically having a stitch and IC make a woman more at risk of prom, but in reality it's actually quite rare to get infection or prom as a direct result of having a cerclage, especially when it's placed early and electively. If your stitches were placed after cervical changes had already occurred then that increases the risk, but you'd expect delivery to be much earlier than 30wks if that we're the case.

Did either of you have any signs of labour at all before your waters broke? Any aches and pains for the few weeks before? Your prom might well have been an entirely independent issue but could have been distantly related to the stitch - because so little is known about the exact mechanism of prom, maybe the IC and stitch was enough to tip some balance which in you two was enough to trigger it.

Why this happens in some women and not others is still a mystery, but pregnancy is so complex it was probably a series of factors which on their own wouldn't be enough to cause anything, but together provide the right circumstances to increase your risk. It's such a delicate and vulnerable thing that the same set of circumstances might not occur ever again for you, so subsequent pregnancies will be fine once the IC is taken care of. Jeez I'm waffling, it's hard to explain but hope that makes sense xxx

 

[monro84]

Water broke @ 1 1/2 cm & 70% efaced. ...I got a ways to go.

 

[Radiance]

Water broke @ 1 1/2 cm & 70% efaced. ...I got a ways to go.

Woohoo!!

 

[ShelbyLC]

Good luck, monro!

 

[shanny]

go monro.................where is twinkle

Thanks Lizzie- gonna reply properly later x

 

[TLM21]

Yeeee Monro, hope everything is going well, positive vibes your way hun

 

[Twinkle 3]

Ooh exciting news Monro keep us updated

Shanny I'm here and still pregnant missed out on the silver coin lol

 

[Tink_0123]

Fabiel, Congrats on the birth of ur girls.. Great weights for their gestations and thats super awesome that they have diff birthdays.. Wishig you a speedy recovery and for the girls a smooth and quick NICU stay.

Monro.. Hoping you had ur baby by now. Hope everything went well..

Twinkle, been thinking about u.. I remember when u joined the thread and look at u now, nearly 38 weeks.. So happy for u.. Ull b holding ur baby boy really soon..

Jadey, ur almost there.. Ticker is moving quickly..

Hope all u ladies are doing well n baking those babies.. I still read ur posts everyday just dont have much time to post..

Afm, balancing work n motherhood hehe but everything is well.. Audrey will b 4 months this Saturday, shes super big, weighs about 15 lbs n measures over 26 inches long, shes also very intelligent and has us all super in love with her.

Take care .. You ladies are always in my thoughts

 

[TLM21]

so happy to read your post tink. I come by almost daily too and read, but can't always post something. Iget super excited at everyone's progress too. for me the thread was a life saver, very informative and supportive. thanks to all that are still supportive to each other.
I too remember when twinkle joined and so impressed and happy in how far she is now.
still trying to figure out how to post pics as Diego is 6 weeks and so fun, lots of sleepless nites though...
tink can't believe Audrey is 4 months already, wow. happy to read she is doing well.
oh and Lizzie you are so awesome, so thankful to you for answering all questions and bringing peace to all in those crazy anxious, moments.
Shelby love seeing you here too
for all of you that are going through the IC rollercoaster, hang in there, it's all worth it
hugs to all
xx

 

[shanny]

Stitch out on monday eeeek getting bit nervous as hate internal type things ........when I had my last baby I even crossed my legs during labour to hope the whole thing would go away............

 

[jadey_fae]

Thats exciting!!! Mine will come out the week after! You post made me smile about crossing your legs
I've just noticed u live in Devon. Very close to me. Can I ask which area of Devon u are? I am in Taunton so technically in Somerset but grew up in Devon. Do u know Holcombe Rogus near Wellington?
I was thinking about asking my MW to take a look at my cervix 2moro - if she will?? I have been having bad cervical pain the last 2 days. Am wondering if I am starting to dilate.

 

[shanny]

Jadey - North Devon - tiny village called Black Torrington near Holsworthy but I have my babies in Exeter ( an hour away )

Don't know Holcombe Regis.............


Lizzie - have sent you a message

Put cot up today and packed bag I think I am almost ready..............physically maybe

 

[Twinkle 3]

Jadey i have had bad cervical pain all way through the pregnancy and after stitch removal its been pretty much constant. i thought it could be to do with dilating but im guessing not as i am not in labour yet also if you are concerned id ring triage

shanny and jadey so close to stitch removals yey

I saw my midwife yest and she says she dosnt expect to see me again as i will have had my baby by next week. i dont believe it though as i think ill end up going to my due date. Im having lots of signs labour is very close but nothings turning into labour unfortunatly

I have been told that eating pineapple is the best thing to evict the baby so we will see lol

 

[jadey_fae]

You have to eat a lot of it in one go. Like 3 in a day. And the enzymes that soften the cervix are all in the core so be sure to eat that too!

 

[jadey_fae]

Also the hosp told me that they have never had anyone go longer than a week after stitch removal but that was for rescue stitches where there had already been shortening and funnelling. She said with preventive stitches it is not uncommon to go to 40 weeks.

 

[lizziedripping]

Very true Jadey, it is more common here for women to go to 40wks than not after stitch removal (sorry Twinkle )

The pain you describe Jadey is not uncommon in stitch pregnancies as you progress. I had crippling needling pain in that region from 32wks with the twins. Baby is probably applying more pressure in that region, and your uterus is stretching and pulling against the stitch. I wouldn't worry unless you experience bleeding or contraction like pains. Tha said, you know your own body, if it reassures you ask then to have a look honey xx

Shanny - have got your message but will need a moment to reply properly if you don't mind bearing with me? Thanks for sharing lovely xxx

 

[shanny]

no worries Lizzie thanks for your time xxx

Feeling pleased with myself as have caught up on husbands business paperwork on my last children at school day.....................done it early so off to watch a bit of george Clooney in an old ER.....................xxxxx

 

[Twinkle 3]

Jadey i was told id go into labour not long after the stitch was removed, my consultant and midwifes were pretty sure of it but nothing happend the midwifes keep telling me not long now but its so frustrating as each day goes by and im still pregnant lol. i thought with me being 1-2cm dilated and no cervix left that id give birth sooner rather than later but i was wrong aswel. i did read that the average time it takes for women to go into labour from stitch removal is 9-14 days. so fingers crossed i wont be pregnant much longer xx

 

[geordiemammy]

Have you tried a hot curry my friend had a hot curry caster oil sex and raspberry leaf tablets and went into labour the next day 3 weeks early x