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Incarcerated Uterus and Cervical Prolapse During Pregnancy?

post #1 of 5
Thread Starter 
I need to vent and also want to know if anyone can give me some advice. Please bare with me for my long story.

As of today, I am 12w4d pregnant. Eighteen days ago, I was admitted to the ER because of excruciating pain in the lower abdominal area. It turned out that I wasn't able to void. A foley catheter was inserted and I got to go home.

One day after I was released from the ER, I went to see my OB. My OB diagnosed me with an incarcerated uterus and told me to do knee-chest exercise. I did what I was told with each exercise session lasted from 15 to 30 minutes. I did these exercises every 2 to 3 hours each day.

A week later on Friday (4/02), I went to see my OB and she successfully repositioned the uterus and I could urinate. The catheter was taken out. (BTW, within the week between my OB visits, I revisited the ER two more times b/c of the void problem). On Saturday night (4/03), I had to go back to the ER because I couldn't void again. It appeared that my uterus had fallen back to its original position.

Since that Saturday night, I felt a big bulge hanging off of me. Called the on-call OB that Saturday/Sunday night and was told to not worry about it...all pregnant women have that problem because of extra hormones. Something did sit right with me so I called on Monday to report the ER trip as well as the bulge...this time I used the words "something is protruding out of me." Another on-call OB for that day told me to wait for my regular OB to come back from her vacation and she could exam me. In the mean time the bulge started to hurt and I was completely miserable. Something didn't feel right so I called again on Wed. telling them that - "something is protruding out of me" Also told them that the bulge hurt, my underwear had to be changed hourly because some kind of vaginal discharge, and I was concerned about the health of my baby. The same on-call OB as on Monday told me the baby was fine, the discharge was normal b/c of my incarcerated uterus, even the burn I felt was ok...part of the uterus problem. Wait to see my regular OB. Wed night, I bled a little and called them on Thursday morning reporting the bleeding problem. They finally let me see the most senior OB of the practice that afternoon.

When I saw the OB on Thursday, he was shocked and let me see the protrusion...it was huge (sorry about this) looked like a red doughnut. I learned that he had never seen this problem in a pregnant woman (he finished med school in '72) and told me the doughnut was my cervix. Further, he did a quick u/s in the exam room and told me he was concerned about the low level of amniotic fluid. He did a quick test for amniotic fluid by dropping something on the vaginal wall, but the test came back negative. However, the baby's heartbeat was present but he didn't want to tell me the heart beat rate. Anyway, I am wearing a pessary now and on bed rest with a foley catheter in me. I am scheduled for an u/s and a follow-up visit with my regular OB. I am fearful that my baby won't make it.

Did anyone ever experience this problem before and what was the result of your pregnancy? What kind of treatment did you seek and receive? My know my problems are very very rare. I think once the uterus is in its correct position, my cervical prolapse problem will be over, but who knows. Thanks for your input.
post #2 of 5
I'm sorry you are going through this. I don't have any advice to offer, but wanted to say I am thinking about you and sending good thoughts.
post #3 of 5


I have no experience or advice, but wanted to say sorry you are going through this. You should have been seen MUCH sooner and not put off so long by your OB's. That is really lousy. I am not sure if I would stay with that practice. It sounds like you might be in for a heavily monitored, medical pregnancy,(but again, I don't know, I have never heard of this condition) maybe you might ask if you need a referral to a specialist. I hope you get some answers and relief. Conratulations and best wishes for your pregnancy.
post #4 of 5
I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I was immediately drawn to your post because I am 16 weeks and have had very similar problems to you. I have a retroflexed uterus (tilted toward the back) and have been having voiding problems for two weeks. Earlier this week, I was unable to void at all and had to be transferred from my midwife to a ob/gyn to have a catheter put in, where they drained 1,000 ccs of urine out of me. I was told that my uterus is still posterior (even though I've been told that it should correct itself as the baby grows) and I'm carrying very low. I haven't been diagnosed with a prolapse, but I suspect I have a first degree prolapse because I feel like I have something in my vagina, which I assume is my cervix. It is not protruding outside my body like yours, however. (This is my second pregnancy, by the way. I did not have these problems with my first.)

I was put through ultrasounds to rule out an incarcerated uterus. I haven't had any abdominal pain and I most likely do not have an incarcerated uterus.

Sorry for all the info, put I wanted to provide that so you can understand my perspective.

From my research on an incarcerated uterus, you absolutely need to have your uterus repositioned so that it can exit the pelvis and grow (thus allowing the baby to grow as well). I agree that you have received substandard care so far and I would recommend trying to find another ob if you can, perhaps even a specialist like a urogynecologist, who specializes in these kinds of things.
post #5 of 5
I've got no good advice as my prolapse happened right after birth and not during pregnancy. But I didn't want to not respond to you. There is a tribe for mamas called Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Support Thread here at MDC, maybe they might be able to help you find a good doctor in your area or at least hold your hand through this. I'm thinking of you and your wee one mama.
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