Any one else in second trimester with soft short cervix?

mnitsche

Hello I am new to The Bump well I had been on it with my first but forgot about this time around but looking for maybe someone who is in a similar boat to me who may have more answers than I have.  I had my 18 week u/s and everything looked great the following weekend I started feeling uncomfortable with some spotting and cramping.  Went to the doctors on that monday.  They said baby and placenta look good but cervix is soft and measuring slightly small at 3.4cm.  They put me on light duty (which is not agreeable with my career as a physical therapist) and want me to come back in 2 weeks (1 week from now).  I was super scared for the first few days but the spotting has stopped and I feel fine it is hard to remember to not over due it including not picking up my 2 year old.  Anyone else have similar symptoms or signs.  I have read about cercleges but I feel like I am sorta late (20 weeks) and maybe not at risk enough for one?? any info about any of this would be great THANKS so much. 

bossyfnp

I dont think your too late for a cerclage, i had mine at 22 weeks, but your cervical length is still long, i think they consider interventions after 2 cm. Did you have problems with your last pregnancy? Cervical softening is concerning when your early because it might suggest that your cervix is gonna start thinning out and then effacing, dilating. I really didnt have any signs of a short cervix it was only caught via U/S and my length was at 0.5cm.

JackieP1023

It isn't too late. My first pregnancy, I went in at 19w for spotting, and I turned out to be 2-3cm dilated. They attempted a cerclage the next day, but it was unsuccessful because the membranes were already bulging. I ended up delivering our daughter, stillborn, at 20 weeks.

Typically, with no history of issues, they won't do anything until your cervix is 2.5cm or less. They will just order rest (sometimes full bedrest, sometimes modified, depending on the situation).

This pregnancy, because of our experience last time, I had a preventative cerclage, preventative doses of procardia, p17 (Makena) shots weekly, and 'just in case' steroid shots at 25w. I'm going on 35 weeks, and still holding strong! (All of my cervix measurements, some vaginal, some abdominal, have been 4cm+)

2blessingsin1

I have issues with short cervix, I had incompetent cervical issues with my first pregnancy along with hypertension, I have preterm labor with my 2nd at 27 weeks....

I am now pregnant with twins. My cervix were measuring below 3cm from beginning I am 14 wks 2 days we are having to go for u/s weekly to monitor due to the fact my cervix had shortened some (additionally) with an u/s on the 19th.  We went today and it had held steady but they have said that we may have a cerclage still as a preventative measure since it has shortened and I am carrying 2

jennybean80

My DS was born at 27 weeks, so I was getting extra monitoring this time because of that and having twins. At 20 weeks all was good (>4cm) by 22 weeks it was 2.5 and by 24 it was around 2cm. They usually won't do a cerclage after 24 weeks, so I had a pessary inserted and steroids at 25 weeks. I was taken off work at 23+4 weeks (nurse) and have basically been on MBR at home since then.

I'm 29 weeks now and holding around 1cm. I'm hoping to make it at least to 30 weeks. It's hard not to pick up DS and to try and comply with the bedrest because I feel fine. But I know how hard having a LO in the NICU is, so I'm trying to be a good patient!! GL to you!

ThereBeDragons

My cervix was down to 1.25  (no dilation, thank god) by the time they checked at 17 weeks- I had a cerclage placed and I'm keeping calm with modified bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy.

The thing to remember is that once the cervix starts dilating, things go from take it easy to hospital bed rest to preemies in the NICU (assuming you make it to 24 weeks, my last pregnancy went from tale it easy straight to a loss) really fast. And often the only warning you get before an incompetent cervix starts dilating are those short/funneling measurements. So the caution may seem excessive, but preventing dilation can be the difference between a fragile preemie and a full term pregnancy.