"short cervix" 1st pregnancy...Then What???

[homebirthbaby]

I was diagnosed with a "short cervix" at 20 weeks during my first pregnancy. At 7 weeks, they measured it at 3.2 cm (borderline short), and at 20 weeks, it measured 2.3 cm. It never got any shorter during the rest of my pregnancy, but my Midwife had it checked by U/S every 2 weeks from 20-36 weeks, and also put me on modified bed rest. I started dilating at 34 weeks and delivered at 39 1/2 weeks.

This pregnancy, when they measured my cervix at 20 weeks, it was 3.3 cm.(borderline short) I'm seeing a local MD/OB this time around since the Midwife is 80 miles away and the baby is due in Feb, and now she wants me to have ultrasounds every 2 weeks, even though the U/S at 21 weeks, my cervix was 4.0 cm. (normal).

I'm going to talk to my OB this afternoon, but right now I'm pretty frusturated. I really feel like this is the way I am, and there's nothing wrong with me. I really don't want all these ultrasounds, I just feel like they're un-nessecary!

Anyway, the Dr’s office just called me because when I rescheduled, the female tech wouldn’t be available again until Nov 6th, and I guess my DR says she won’t let me wait that long, so my options are have the Male tech do the vaginal ultrasound, or they said they could drive 80 miles to another hospital to have it done.

SOOO…I’m pretty frustrated and really just want to forget about DR’s and have this baby at home…midwife or none!

So if you've gotten this far, and had the same problem during pregnancy, what was your next one like?

Any advice would be welcome!!!

[USAmma]

I went into preterm labor at 23 weeks with my second dd. I had lots of cx with my first dd, too, but it didn't kick me into labor. During the u/s for the second pg I had a shorter cervix and had started dilating at 23 weeks. I did strict bedrest and had only one more u/s at 25 weeks to make sure baby and placenta were okay. My doctor did not feel that there was much more they could do for me other than to keep on the bedrest, take the terbultaline as needed for the strong cx, and pray. I ended up having her at 38 weeks.

Do you know how to check your own cervix? I mean, not like to stretch it apart to see how far it dilates, but just to gently touch the outside of it and see if you are dilated or not? If you can do that, or if you are really in touch with your body, maybe just decline those u/s or do them less often. Go with how you feel.

[homebirthbaby]

I do check my cervix to make sure it isn't changing, but as far as effacement goes, that doesnt' tell me anything because from the outside it's about as flat as they go (come?)!
At this point it's not dilating that's the problem, it's the effacement.

[mary3mama]

Not exactly the same situation here, but maybe something of it will be useful to you.

I lost pg #2 at 21 weeks because of cervical failure. No warning beforehand and labor wouldn't stop once started, even after 24 hours of everything they could think to try at the hospital.

Because of that my 3rd pg was monitored and my cervix was monitored even closer. I had a cerclage placed at 13 weeks and then had vaginal u/s scans at 17, 18, 19, 20, and 22 weeks. At each one, it was determined that I was not dialating (which would have been obvious because there would have been bleeding as the cervix tried to stretch agains the stitch) nor was there any shortening or funneling of the cervix. After we reached the 25 week mark, it was deemed unnecessary to have such frequent u/s scans and the pg proceeded to 35 weeks, at which point the stitch was removed. DS#2 stayed put until 38.5 weeks, at which point he was delivered via VBAC.

Fast forward to this pg (DS#2 is now a sturdy 3yo) and I did loads of research about the whole cervical integrity issue. Because of my experiences and with the blessing of my midwives, I chose not to have any scans or any interventions. At 19.5 weeks I did have one u/s scan...just to check how things looked. My cervix was more than 4.5cm long and definately not funneling at that point.

I'm now 32 weeks along and my cervix is still holding well and will, assumably, serve our needs for many weeks to come.

I'm so grateful for this 'normal' pregnancy.

I hope you find the answers you seek. Blessings to you.

[pamamidwife]

A short cervix is not a risk for preterm labor. I can tell you that you likely didn't go into preterm labor not because you were on bedrest, but because you wouldn't have otherwise.

All this measuring the cervix is crazy - every woman is different, dilates EVEN PRIOR TO TERM!, and her cervix shortens.

I would definitely get away from those doctors - and plan a homebirth with a midwife. If you were having contractions that were making significant changes (not NORMAL changes) to your cervix, that's true PRETERM LABOR and things can be done then. Only then.

Oy.

[homebirthbaby]

THANK YOU!!!

I'm going in to talk to my DR this afternoon and we'll see how that goes. That might determine the rest of this pregnancy!!!
I would love to plan a homebirth with a MW but because of living in NE, that's near impossible. I've tried to no avail to find somebody close but the closest is about 8 hours away and if family history repeats itself AGAIN, that's way too far away!
I'm on the NE/CO/WY borders and am trying to find information about MW's crossing the borders but nobody has been able to answer that so far

If we do have a home birth, it will be "UC" with my Mom and possibly my Dad, who had 12 babies together, 9 at home, 8 UC because of the midwife situation. So I consider them very expierienced!

[NYMOM07]

I am so happy to hear that I can go on to possibly have a "normal" 2nd pregnancy after reading these posts. I had a short cervix with my first, 2.4cm from 5 months on, was put on bedrest, and it never shortened past that. I did have a lot of bh contractions though, and at 34 weeks was dialated a cm so they put my on tributeral (?) to control them, and I delivered at 37 weeks to a healthy baby boy.

thanks for the great news!

[mommy2two babes]

I have had "incompetent cervix" ( I hate that term)
With my DD I felt something was off around 16 weeks and tried to tell my doc who wouldn't listen or check my cervix. At my 20 week U/S they said my cervix was shortening I think it was like 3.25 and my bag of waters was funneling. I was basically told I was going to lose her and there was noting they could do. She said if she put in a cerclage she would break my water and if she didn't I would deliver her. I called my midwife who I was in the process of switching to( hadn't even met yet) She refered me to an OB/RE at he hospital they work out of. We met him at the hospital and by that point I was having contractions I am sure because of stress and dehydration.
They put in the cerclage and I was on bedrest with meds to stop contractions. Everything went well and he said he would take it out at 37 weeks. Well at 37 weeks I practically had to beg him to take it out and he was giving me bull reasons to not. It came out anyways and I delivered my beautiful girl at 40w 6d. With DS I had a cerclage put in at 13 weeks and had no problem not dilation at all.Same thing I felt like I was being held hostage by the cerclage as my MW's could not attend my deivery until he removed it.
After much asking he agreed to take it out. I had a HB that I lied and said it was an accident to him because I was afraid he would not take me as a patient again. All in all I am not really covinced I need the cerclage but would be to scared to lose a baby to take the risk IYKWIM. I am scared by the prospect of scar tissue on my cervix though.
Sorry for the book.