shortened cervix

[star*mora]

hmmm - overall had a good u/s today but my feeling of having a shortened cervix seems to be true.

i know jen has this, just seeing what i am in for

am 32wks today and my transvaginal u/s measured me at 1.9cm - a huge drop from my 20wk which was within the normal range (albeit the low side at 3.4 then). no funnelling/effacing

my next appt with my mw isn't until a week thurs but i think i will email her even though she wont be in the office until tomorrow

given that i had pprom last time (and was never checked for cervical length since i had an uneventful pregnancy until then), i am just not totally sure of what to expect.

anyone make it to term/close to it with that kind of measurement. we have no family anywhere close by and callum is in part-time day care (but his dayhome provider is on vacation until the beginning of sept) so am also wondering if anyone made it to term with bedrest/modified bedrest/no bedrest.

thanks mamas - i know it may be a bit of time before i hear back from my mw with all the births she is dealing with right now.

arlene

[Amandamarie]

Jen will probably be able to answer your question better. I do know that no funneling/effacing is good, although that can change quickly. Some shortening is going to happen as you get closer to full term, but not sure how much. I know under 2 is really short. Sorry, I'm probably not helping.

congrats on the other good news.

[boobs4milk]

arlene,
i'm sorry to hear that you hada disappointing appt. my cervix is measuring just above 2 right now (i'm gonna post an update after typing this) and it is longer right now than in my last pg that went to 37 wks. i was on bedrest, though and wasn't caring for anyone besides myself. i was up to go to bathroom or get food and to dr appt.

maybe you can have your dh prepare some food, snacks, and drinks for you and callum to make it easier on you. i would highly suggest trying to get some form of help with him, though.

my dr is confident i will make it close to term this time even with all of the issues i've had. he said that, in my case, being 32 wks (thursday) and having a cervix that is measuring 2 cm, no funneling and only 1-2 dilated is not so uncommon. i have had 6 pregnancies.

the best you can do is try to stay down most of the time and unfortunately you may have to use nanny t.v. to help you out.

btw, i was below 2 cm and dilated 1 cm at 23 wks with natalie and we had to be induced at 37 wks!

[Sonneva]

DDC Crashing:

My cervix was 1.2cm at 20 weeks with my DD. I used creative visualization every day and an ultrasound at 24 weeks showed it at 1.7cm. I was fully effaced and 3 cm dilated for 6 weeks before my daughter was born after a Castor oil induction at just over 41 weeks. So just because you have a short cervix, doesn't automatically mean you will have preterm labour.

[star*mora]

Originally Posted by Sonneva

DDC Crashing:

My cervix was 1.2cm at 20 weeks with my DD. I used creative visualization every day and an ultrasound at 24 weeks showed it at 1.7cm. I was fully effaced and 3 cm dilated for 6 weeks before my daughter was born after a Castor oil induction at just over 41 weeks. So just because you have a short cervix, doesn't automatically mean you will have preterm labour.

good to know! i have been doing some visualizing of a closed cervix (which it was) now i'll just have to use the images of a long one as well. (i also focus on my root chakra and being surrounded in strong red, and also like to use rose quartz as well when i meditate about this time)

your story is reassuring - i thank you for that.

[star*mora]

jen, am glad your outlook is looking brighter by the day!

i've never had my cervix length tracked before this pregnancy (and this time was of course because of the pprom) do subsequent pregnancies make a difference? i've only been pregnant the 2 times.

my dh is amazing about caring for callum. the second he walks in the door until callum goes to bed - it's all him and has been for the entire pregnancy. he's always done at least half of the work around the house, and now he is emphasizing the no more laundry, clean up, etc for me...the upside of it all ?!?! i am going to ask callum's part time care giver if she can bump him up to full time until bub arrives (she's on vacation right now though). i have my laptop so i can still work from bed, and maybe i can get some work done ahead of time - trying to look at the bright side if my mw says bedrest. she's no-nonsense, knows my history and isn't a worrier so i know she will tell me what i need to do to try and get my 37+wk home birth!!

[boobs4milk]

arlene, i've had several procedures done on my cervix and the 6 pgs. try not to stress (yea right!) and just stay down as much as possible. i haven't had any shortening since 26 wks and i'll be 32 wks thursday. i have had dilation...but the inside of the cervix is closed. i think my dr's are being extra careful because i do not have a cerclage, i have had 2 preterm and precipitous births, i am 35+, i have had 6 pgs, and i live 1 hr from the nearest medical center capable of preforming preterm births. our little town has a hospital, but it's got like 6 beds?!?!?!?!

with your history, i'd say be on the lookout for cramping or contractions that seem to develop or any unusual type feelings and call your hcp if you need reassurance. oh, and did i mention to stay down as much as possible?

[fyrebloom]

It's common for second babies to efface and dilate you faster. Many women find they are at 1 or even 2 cm dilated for weeks. Def keep an eye out for too many contractions. If water and rest don't knock them out, wine almost certainly will. Take it easy, visualize a long closed cervix and hopefully you'll go so long that baby is annoyingly term . I have a friend who was on complete bedrest for months for PTL... she had her little girl on her due date.

[boobs4milk]

thinking of you, arlene!!!

[star*mora]

Originally Posted by fyrebloom

It's common for second babies to efface and dilate you faster. Many women find they are at 1 or even 2 cm dilated for weeks. Def keep an eye out for too many contractions. If water and rest don't knock them out, wine almost certainly will. Take it easy, visualize a long closed cervix and hopefully you'll go so long that baby is annoyingly term . I have a friend who was on complete bedrest for months for PTL... she had her little girl on her due date.

got wine on hand!!!!

[star*mora]

Originally Posted by boobs4milk

thinking of you, arlene!!!

thanks, jen

on modified bedrest - if any contractions will be reassessed
but i find it hard to tell - don't notice any bh unless i keep my hands on my belly for good amounts of time trying to feel for them

i didnt feel anything with callum until about 9cm (and was just needing to catch my breath when i got to transition and his foot was dangling in my birth canal - but that was it

so hope i can recognize contractions if i have them early...

[star*mora]

jen, seems i'll be joining the tribe you started

my mw came by on the way home from a birth and has put me on complete bedrest - just hoping for 34wks as our first point as her privileges at the hospital will allow her to stay my primary care provider and no transfer of care if i can get to 34wks - will be 33wks on monday.

[deeplyhumanistic]

Originally Posted by star*mora

jen, seems i'll be joining the tribe you started

my mw came by on the way home from a birth and has put me on complete bedrest - just hoping for 34wks as our first point as her privileges at the hospital will allow her to stay my primary care provider and no transfer of care if i can get to 34wks - will be 33wks on monday.

When I was prego at 22 weeks my cervix was 2.3cm and started to funnel (open from the inside out.) My midwife sent me to a high risk doc in order to be safe. As an ICU RN I requested to go on bedrest and they let me. Although they say the research doesnt prove it helps. My very experienced ultrasound tech said that she feels that bed rest helps after her many years of working with this situation.

Then at 24 weeks my midwife checked me and could fit a whole finger in my---my cervix opened and it shortened to 1.5cm. I was scarred to death. They sent me to the hospital right away. They did a very accurate test (VJ swab) called Fetal Fibronectin and it came back good meaning that I have a 99% chance of not going into labor for the next two weeks. They wanted to do an amniocentesis suspecting infection but I refused. However, they put me on a natural progesterone vaginal suppository (the pregnancy hormone) and I believe that it helped. They sent me home on really strict bed rest.

Hurray! I am now 38 weeks!!!! Now they may have to induce me. I just want all you to know that there are good stories out there. I did alot of prayer though. Also, the reason for my shortened cervix was a bicornute uterus (abnormal heart shaped uterus.)

There are many reasons why the cervix shortens and it does make you at higher risk for preterm delivery. My advice is make sure you get bed rest. It is a serious thing even if your doc doesnt take it that serious. Take every precaution that you can. Its not worth risking the babies life. If you already have history of it or miscarriages you definantly should do everything you can. Progesterone deficiency could also be a cause. This was my first pregnacy so it was scarry because I have no history to project off of. Still take your precautions. Dont wait to see what happens. Good Luck!