Short cervix - silicone pessary instead of stitch?

[brambram]

Hi everyone,
I went for 20 week scan on Monday and was told that I had a short cervix and funnelling. The doctors were quite concerned as I was 12mm - a lot shorter than some of the stories that I've read on here. So obviously I was quite distraught and terrified. I was offered the stitch but I couldn't go through with it as I was just too scared.

I have been put on progesterone which I have been taking and was then later invited to take part in a research study. They were very nice and not forceful at all about inviting me to participate. They gave me some information about the study and told me to readit, think about and come back of i'd like to participate.

The Study is basically to see if there is an alternative to the stitch that can work similarly. It is a round silicone ring (called the Arabin pessary) that is inserted in the cervix and it is claimed to work the same as the stitch but without the invasive surgery and associated risks. As it is a study, there is no absolute proof that this does in fact work, but they are hoping that this study will prove that it does so that women can be offered this as an alternative to the stitch in the future.

I decided to participate in the study, mainly because I was just too chicken to do the stitch, but I felt I should do something rather than nothing to help baby out...and possibly women in this situation in the future.

I am just wondering if anyone else has heard of this study? We're you offered it? Did you decide against it or for it?

Any feedback and support would be great.

 

[JJEE]

Hi Brambram!

I haven't heard of it, but it sounds fantastic! I had the stitch placed at wk16 of this pregnancy. From what you have described, it sounds like it does the same job, but is a band holding the cervix closed?

It sounds brilliant, I hope it works for you, I can see no reason why it wouldn't, I am surprised that something like this isn't already in use, eliminating all of the extra stress of surgery to insert the stitch and to remove the stitch!

I hope you keep us updated on how it all works out for you, I would be very interested in this as an alternative in future pregnancies!

Good luck Hun. xx

 

[brambram]

Hi Brambram!

I haven't heard of it, but it sounds fantastic! I had the stitch placed at wk16 of this pregnancy. From what you have described, it sounds like it does the same job, but is a band holding the cervix closed?

It sounds brilliant, I hope it works for you, I can see no reason why it wouldn't, I am surprised that something like this isn't already in use, eliminating all of the extra stress of surgery to insert the stitch and to remove the stitch!

I hope you keep us updated on how it all works out for you, I would be very interested in this as an alternative in future pregnancies!

Good luck Hun. xx

Hi JJEE,

Thanks for your reply and encouragement. How far are you now?

Yes, The pessary is a round silicone band that holds the cervix in place.

The information they gave me is here: https://www.fetalmedicine.com/fmf/1...maturity-in-singletons/patient-information-1/

And there is more information here:

https://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/04april/Pages/pessary-device-postpones-premature-births.aspx

This article has a photo of what it looks like:
https://www.deltaworld.org/health-beauty/A-silicone-ring-manages-to-reduce-preterm-births-by-75/

https://www.deltaworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/A-silicone-ring-manages-to-reduce-preterm-births-by-75-498x226.jpg

 

[Currituckgirl]

Hi Bram!! I have heard about the ring but to my knowledge it is not even being offered yet in the US. I went in for my 20 week appointment and found out that my cervix was down to 1 mm, not cm but mm and my bags were bulging. I was placed on bed rest and progesterone suppositories. My cervix has been holding strong at 8 mm and my bags are not bulging as bad. I was offered the stitch but since there was barely any cervix left and the bags were right on the other side we opted out of it. I wish I would have been offered to try the ring.

When are you getting it put in? Do you have to have anesthesia?

 

[JJEE]

Hi Brambram,

I am 32+2 now, can't forget those all important 2days!!

Wow, the band is larger than I imagined, I thought it would be around the size of a rubber band!!
It looks absolutely fantastic though..please keep us posted on how it all goes!

Good luck Hun.

 

[brambram]

Hi Bram!! I have heard about the ring but to my knowledge it is not even being offered yet in the US. I went in for my 20 week appointment and found out that my cervix was down to 1 mm, not cm but mm and my bags were bulging. I was placed on bed rest and progesterone suppositories. My cervix has been holding strong at 8 mm and my bags are not bulging as bad. I was offered the stitch but since there was barely any cervix left and the bags were right on the other side we opted out of it. I wish I would have been offered to try the ring.

When are you getting it put in? Do you have to have anesthesia?

Hi currituckgirl (wow that's a mouthful )

I'm sorry to hear about your 1mm and I'll be praying for you to keep sustaining...did I understand right - hAs it grown to 8mm? I hadn't realised it could grow.

I already had it put in - last Thursday. No anaesthesia, no surgery, no nothing. She just put me to lie down, spread my legs (sorry) - she put some form of gel on ring, folded it (it is somewhat flexible) and she inserted it. It took about 5 minutes tops. She then did an internal scan to check that it was placed correctly and sent me home. That was it!
It did hurt somewhat when she inserted it, - a bit more than doing a pap smear - and felt uncomfortable for about an hour or so.

I am also on progesterone - which I have to take every night - I was told that anyone under 15mm has to have both the ring and the progesterone. If all goes to plan, they remove the ring at 34 weeks...so we'll see how it goes.

Hopefully this will be a viable option for future women in our situation. I'm keeping the faith.

 

[LindyB]

Good luck Brambram! The ring sounds really good. Are you home now and how much resting do you have to do?

 

[Currituckgirl]

Hi Bram!! I have heard about the ring but to my knowledge it is not even being offered yet in the US. I went in for my 20 week appointment and found out that my cervix was down to 1 mm, not cm but mm and my bags were bulging. I was placed on bed rest and progesterone suppositories. My cervix has been holding strong at 8 mm and my bags are not bulging as bad. I was offered the stitch but since there was barely any cervix left and the bags were right on the other side we opted out of it. I wish I would have been offered to try the ring.

When are you getting it put in? Do you have to have anesthesia?

Hi currituckgirl (wow that's a mouthful )

I'm sorry to hear about your 1mm and I'll be praying for you to keep sustaining...did I understand right - hAs it grown to 8mm? I hadn't realised it could grow.

I already had it put in - last Thursday. No anaesthesia, no surgery, no nothing. She just put me to lie down, spread my legs (sorry) - she put some form of gel on ring, folded it (it is somewhat flexible) and she inserted it. It took about 5 minutes tops. She then did an internal scan to check that it was placed correctly and sent me home. That was it!
It did hurt somewhat when she inserted it, - a bit more than doing a pap smear - and felt uncomfortable for about an hour or so.

I am also on progesterone - which I have to take every night - I was told that anyone under 15mm has to have both the ring and the progesterone. If all goes to plan, they remove the ring at 34 weeks...so we'll see how it goes.

Hopefully this will be a viable option for future women in our situation. I'm keeping the faith.

The cervix is able to lengthen back with pressure being off of it. I am not sure if everyone's cervix is but it would make sense. My doctor said that with all of the weight on my cervix, before bed rest, was shortening it, but after bed rest it has been able to relieve some of the pressure off of my cervix to make it lengthen back. I hope that makes sense.

That sounds so marvelous about the ring!!! I agree it looks a lot bigger than what I was thinking, but I guess since it is holding everything up then it should be a stable ring. I am so glad that it wasn't to bad to be put in. Hopefully it will be an option for me the next time I get pregnant

 

[brambram]

Good luck Brambram! The ring sounds really good. Are you home now and how much resting do you have to do?

Thank you LindyB.

The doctor didn't prescribe bed rest - she said that she didn't want me to get blood circulation complications. But based on the stories I've been reading here I have managed to convince my manager to allow me to work from home most days and so I just try to lie down as much as possible.

 

[brambram]

The cervix is able to lengthen back with pressure being off of it. I am not sure if everyone's cervix is but it would make sense. My doctor said that with all of the weight on my cervix, before bed rest, was shortening it, but after bed rest it has been able to relieve some of the pressure off of my cervix to make it lengthen back. I hope that makes sense.

That sounds so marvelous about the ring!!! I agree it looks a lot bigger than what I was thinking, but I guess since it is holding everything up then it should be a stable ring. I am so glad that it wasn't to bad to be put in. Hopefully it will be an option for me the next time I get pregnant

That's right currituckgirl, thinking about the next one already! I've been reading about your journey in your other posts and it's so inspirational and gives me hope. Thank you for sharing with us. I hope to follow you to the end...at full term!

 

[baby_maybe]

That sounds like a good innovation as an acceptable option rather than having a suture placed. However I still think I'd go for the stitch. I have had 3 sutures in the past, one at 24 weeks with waters bulging (I carried to 32 weeks), the second at 20 weeks with funnelling (went to term) and the last one was placed as an elective at 14 weeks (also went to term plus). I'm currently pg again and will be pushing my consultant for another elective stitch, I know it comes with risks, but I have had such great outcomes in the past that I am willing to go through it again.

Good luck with the ring, I'll be interested to see if it works for you xx

 

[Currituckgirl]

The cervix is able to lengthen back with pressure being off of it. I am not sure if everyone's cervix is but it would make sense. My doctor said that with all of the weight on my cervix, before bed rest, was shortening it, but after bed rest it has been able to relieve some of the pressure off of my cervix to make it lengthen back. I hope that makes sense.

That sounds so marvelous about the ring!!! I agree it looks a lot bigger than what I was thinking, but I guess since it is holding everything up then it should be a stable ring. I am so glad that it wasn't to bad to be put in. Hopefully it will be an option for me the next time I get pregnant

That's right currituckgirl, thinking about the next one already! I've been reading about your journey in your other posts and it's so inspirational and gives me hope. Thank you for sharing with us. I hope to follow you to the end...at full term!

Thank you so incredibly much for that. I have been trying to tell my story as much as possible to anyone that needs some hope. I know when I first found out that my cervix was at 1 mm, I was trying to find other stories like mine to give me inspiration. The woman and stories were few and far between. Most of the woman had the cerclage which didn't help me. I only wanted to read about the woman with out the cerclage. I want to give hope and let woman know they can make it even if they only have a teeny tiny bit of cervix left. We both will go full term, I know it

 

[Littlestork]

Hi brambram,
I am new on this forum and you are the reason I signed in. I was looking for someone who had a pessary put in for a short cervix and I found you. I am 21 weeks pregnant with twins and I was diagnosed with a short cervix of 1.7 cm. they offered me to put a pessary in, normal cerclage was not a option due to the twin pregnancy. I was wondering if it worked for you and what do you think about it? Sorry I am italian and my English is not perfect. I am so terrified to loose my babies. I am looking for hope and miracles.

 

[lsh2010]

The ring sounds like a good idea and much less invasive than a stitch and less risky! I've never had the stitch as my cervix never shortened anymore than 2.2 so have always been offered the progesterone pessaries which have worked for me in the past, my cervix lengthened and I went 2 days over my due date!

I'm on it again with this pregnancy, fingers crossed!

Hope it all works out well

Laura x

 

[MizzPodd]

Hey I live in the US and was given this at about 10 weeks due to prolapse uterus and short cervix... I used it for a while but could never where it long because it gets uncomfortable. I'm 21 weeks and found my baby's head is in the funnel area as well. I'm on bed rest and my cervix has lengthened since being in bed rest. I can't get a cerclauge because my cervix isn't the problem and not incompetent. That's what has the docs stumped. But It's preterm labor issues (history of it). Had 2nd baby at 18 weeks 6 months ago bless her I think you could try it but I will say that it made me uncomfortable after wearing it for a while. I hope this helps a little.
I hope it works for you though and baby keeps cooking!!!

 

[brambram]

Hello whoever reads this.

I started this thread over a year ago as I had a silicone pessary ring inserted instead of doing a stitch when they discovered I had a short cervix. I was looking for anyone who also had this silicone ring and couldn't find anyone who could give me advice.

Well, I wanted to share my success story.

At 20 weeks I was told my cervix was short - 12mm

I was offered the stitch but told that at this late stage the risks were great. I cried and cried. I didn't know much about it (why would I?) and I felt helpless.

The next day I went back to the hospital and was offered to participate in a study to try this silicone pessary. There wasn't much information on it, and there were no guarantees. Apparently the ring was being used in other European countries successfully but UK needed to have more evidence of its success and so they were offering it to women who were interested in the study. It was pain free and not at all as invasive or risky as the stitch. They inserted this round plastic looking ring inside me (it was painful when being inserted, but more uncomfortable than anything). And in 5 minutes I went home!

At 24 weeks my cervix shortened to 3mm! and was funneling. I was admitted to hospital and given steroid shots to mature baby's lungs as the doctors said I might go into labour soon.

I was put on strict bed rest and managed to make it to 28 weeks...but at this point I was told that my cervix had dilated 2cm! I was again told that I would go into labour soon.

AT 32 weeks I was still pregnant! to the astonishment of all the doctors and midwives.

between 34 and 35 weeks I was still pregnant! and the doctors sent me home (I had been in the hospital for almost 3 months!)

Baby and I made it to just about 36 weeks!

The birth.....

I was 35 weeks and 6 days when I started feeling intense contractions. It was about 7pm when I made my way to the hospital. I waited in the reception until around 8/9pm. The silicone ring was removed after 9pm and my waters broke around 10pm when I stood up. I started pushing around 11pm and baby was out just minutes before midnight.

She's a healthy, cheerful 9 month old now....and though it was a roller coaster pregnancy and first few months, I am happy to report that things have settled down now. I am back at work 3 days a week, and we've come such a long way.

I am going to try and upload a photo of her. This was when she was 3 months.

Enjoy!

I hope this post helps someone.

 

[Currituckgirl]

Bram, she's beautiful!!! Congratulations on proving those doctors wrong!!!