Short cervix and strict bed rest

[HearMyPrayers]

Morning ladies...looking for anyone in my current situation or that's been in my situation before. We found out in Monday (20 weeks 1 day) that my cervix was shortened down to 0.6cm but internal exam showed my cervix is closed and doctor said it felt a little longer than the ultrasound was showing. We were told that a cerclage with only 0.6cm if cervix to work with has a greater risk of rupturing the water bag so we opted for 200mg of progesterone suppositories nightly and strict bedrest for the next 14 weeks. Anyone else in a similar position? Or have words of encouragement from a previous experience?

 

[tcinks]

I don't mean to scare you... but this exact thing happened to me last year, around your same gestation, and I ended up losing my baby a week later. say this because I believe if my doctor had put in the cerclage, my baby would have had a chance. They say it's too late but it really isn't!! Please get a second opinion. Stay off your feet, keep them elevated.

There is a thread here about Incompetent cervix, which is the condition we have. You can also talk to them and see what they think. There are also Facebook groups with women who have also been through this.

I just really don't want other women going through what I went through if it can be prevented. My doctor made it seem like it wasn't a big deal and it would be fine, she didn't even suggest bedrest!! But I did it anyway. I even went back for them to check me again because it felt like something wasn't right. She checked me manually, no ultrasound, and said my cervix was long and closed so not to worry. And my baby came a few days later.

Please please understand how serious the situation can be. I'm sure you didn't realize you had this condition, and don't know much about it. I didn't. But after losing two babies because of it, I've done lots of research and talking to other women.

Your doctor may be right, but I'd still get a second opinion. Was this your regular obgyn or a High risk specialist?

 

[HearMyPrayers]

My OB is high risk. I'm very conflicted cause everything I've read says 0.6cm is extremely short to be considered for cerclage and could actually pose more risk than not placing one

 

[klabro]

I'm sorry you are in this situation. I lost twins last year at 21 weeks when I was found to have no measurable cervix. I was not offered a cerclage due to it being multiples, but they can attempt emergency cerclage even with no measurable cervix and up to 3 cm dilated. I definitely think you are better off than some who I have seen with emergent cerclage, your doctors have some cervix left to work with to put a stitch in. I've been very active on several IC groups and boards since then about IC and I've seen SO many success stories with emergent cerclages. In many cases the cerclage will actually help strengthen your cervix and you will see an increase in length. I mean obviously there are no guarantees either way. My team of MFM's say that new research (within the last 5 years) shows that an exam indicated cerclage (once shortening is spotted) is still very effective. Honestly, it is such a case by case basis and while I am sure you are super stressed, you just have to listen to your instincts and listen to your doctors. I would check out the incompetent cervix thread on here, there are several women who have posted in there that were in your exact situation.

 

[tcinks]

Yeah. That's the conflict. As long as you know your options and are able to make the best decision for yourself, that's all you can do. Have you talked to any other women who've had this? The Facebook group was a great resource for me.

Praying baby stays in for much longer!

 

[lewisevans]

Cervical length during pregnancy is sometimes associated with preterm labor. If you have a short cervix, you might be at increased risk of preterm labor and premature birth. Depending on your personal risk factors, your doctor may recommend medical intervention. Progesterone suppositories and/or a stitch surgically placed in the cervix may help prevent preterm labor. Some study suggests that treatment with a form of the hormone progesterone or placement of a silicone device around the cervix might decrease the risk of premature birth.