How common are vag u/s in multiple pg?

Temp6313048411121614

I read quite a few posts of you having them to measure your cervix.  Is this only if there's a problem or reason to believe that it's shortening?  My doc hasn't mentioned doing an internal yet.  I just had my 2nd u/s on Friday (first was around 7w), and he said I'll have another around 23w.  I haven't had any real contractions yet, but I've been having a ton of BH's.  I know that these are things that are probably done on a "practice by practice" and "patient by patient" basis, and I could just call and ask, but I'm not really worried about having/not, just curious what others had/didn't have.

Mrs.Mezzy

Starting at 20 weeks I had an internal every two weeks but I was very high risk because the girls were mono-mono and I was being seen by a peri.  I don't think my reg OB would have done them that soon or that often.

schen0510

I just posted a similar question.  The hospital that I had my NT scan done at gave me a prescription to have a cervix scan done at about 17 weeks.  I was told that they are commonly done with multiples because they can put additional pressure on your cervix.  I was trying to find out if this is true/common.  I am not sure if I will have them every 2 weeks but I have a feeling that if they are already going to start them that I will probably continue.

Kim777

I had transvaginal ultrasounds until about 12 weeks. Then they switched to transabdominal and measured my cervix that way. They couldn't see it with the transabdominal after 28 weeks, so they did a couple of cervix checks with the transvaginal after that. They didn't check my cervix at all at 32 or 33 weeks. I believe they are going to start internal exams at my appt next week when I will be just shy of 36 weeks. My doctor prefers to measure cervix by ultrasound (either transabdominal or transvaginal) for the majority of the pregnancy because they feel there is some risk of starting labor or introducing bacteria with internal exams. That is definitely something that varies by doctor. I have friends who have had internal exams all along.

Temp159135562506975

i had cervix checks at 16, 20, 24 and 28w via vag US> This is different than an internal, which is just done with the hand. My OB doesn't do internals unless there is cause for worry (ptl, etc).

you aren't having another US until 23w? that seems really late - even for the "big US".  you aren't having an NTS? (i guess you are young? lol).  I had growth scans with most of my cervix checks, too... to check fluid, baby's growth, etc. 

LoveTravel

My cervix was checked at my 18 week ultrasound as I was having twins and thereafter my Dr. referred me to a MFM which I began to see at 24 weeks as the twins are sharing a placenta I was to be seen bi-weekly and my cervix is checked at these appointments- I think at this point in pregnancy (as my cervix with pressure measured low) that I might have the v u/sl weekly, but I'm not sure yet...I'll know more tomorrow at my appointments

blossom

My OB has already said that I will require regular cervix checks at the hospital. He said it was considered standard protocol for a multiples pregnancy. I won't have to start it until end of Aug.

jlc071903

After your 23 week u/s you should have a u/s at EVERY appointment, honestly with twins you should be having an u/s at every appointment already. 

 What did your OB say about all your BH's???  That's awful early and kind of concerning....honestly you should be monitored more often with twins...it's not like a singleton pg.  Cervical checks should be starting at your next u/s and be every other week from there....for a standard twin pg...this is what my OB had originally planned (at least what we'd discussed) prior to my issues.

atc282

My peri in London did transabdominal to measure my cervix. Now that I am in the US, my peri here did a transvag check to measure my cervix. I was told that from 22 weeks on, they check it every 2 weeks. I have a transabdominal u/s every 4 weeks.

groovygrl

it's definitely case by case/provider by provider, there are no set 'rules'. 

My OB prefers to do manual internals & I've had them every visit since about 16 weeks. I have u/s's for growth/anatomy every 3-4 weeks but she only measured my cervix twice & then I was past when they can really see it on u/s anyway.

Best advice is to talk to your OB about why/why not s/he does things a certain way so you understand the rationale.  

WeeOnesMama

At this point I have an internal u/s every two weeks to measure my cervix and an external growth u/s every four.

Temp6313048411121614

From 23w on, I'll have an U/S every 3 weeks and around 24 or 26 weeks I think I'll be seeing my OB every 2 weeks.  He said he starts the frequent U/S's at viability.

Holanchi

I never had any contractions or any reason to suspect PTL, this is my first pregnancy.  My Dr. does vag u/s frequently on multiples as a rule, since the extra weight can put more pressure on your cervix.

lajolla09.30.06

I had an appointment (and an u/s) every 2 weeks from the very beginning and got an u/s to do a cervical check every week from around 20 on.... it is very important to keep an eye on it so I'd definitely ask.  Ditto one of the pp... the u/s check is better than the manual check because it doesn't have the risk of causing more cervical shortening.

Temp6313048411121614

Just noticed that I said "internal" in my OP.  I didn't mean internal exam, I meant internal U/S, sorry about that.

MrsARC1105

It seems really odd that your next u/s is at 23 weeks.  We only found out at 19 weeks and I was started on internal u/s every two weeks from then on.

AlpacaBunny

I had internal u/s up to 10 weeks and then after that it was all abdominal.  My perinatologist would look at my cervix and measure it with my abdominal u/s.  I only had 2 internals during my pregnancy, one at 34 weeks and one at 35 weeks. 

AlpacaBunny

Clarifying...I had internal exams at 34 and 35 weeks.  But only internal  u/s with my RE between 6 weeks and 10 weeks.  We had the NT scan at 12 with the peri and then after that went every 4 weeks to him for an u/s.  But none were internal, he did all the cervix measuring via external u/s.