Cervix length and third trimester

mrshump

Had my ultrasound today and my cervix is looking a bit shorter. It was around 1.7 last week and we were at 1.2 1.3 today when the tech applied pressure to my cervix. The doctor reviewed the images and he said it was a bit shorter but not too bad or alarming for someone almost 31 weeks. He also said after 34 weeks they will stop checking length anyway so I need to squeeze 3 more weeks out of me.
My question is for those who have/ had short cervixes when did your cervix start to Just continue to get shorter during the trimester in preparation for labor ? And how rapidly did it shorten?

I know everyone is different. I just want to know if its possible to maintain this length for a whole or if its just inevitable that every week from this point forward ill be looking at less and less cervix.

hopefuldad

Cervical length in the third trimester is not a strong predictor of preterm labor in the same way that it is during the second trimester. Many doctors won't even check it past 28 weeks or so, because even if you're a little bit dilated and barely have any cervix left, you could still carry to term. 

starfish717

This is a good question!

I was measured at 28 weeks (2.8), 30 weeks (1.7), 31 weeks (1.6) and I go next Tues at 33+4 and I'm curious what I'll measure, and I wonder when they'll stop measuring? They told me last time that slowly getting shorter now is fine because that's normal for 3rd tri. I'll ask about it more next appt!

pooman

At 28 weeks I measured .9 (a week earlier it was 1.8).

I've had cervical checks every week until I reached 34 weeks and my cervix stayed stable the entire time.   I know I'm lucky, but SBR does some awesome things. 

javagrl

I can't tell you for sure from my own experience because I had my daughter at 20 weeks 2 days when my cervix opened and it was never checked prior (had no idea I had incompetent cervix- no risk factors) and now this pregnancy I have had a preventative cerclage and no shortening yet (knock on wood!).  But I can tell you that from many of the ladies I have connected with who have an incompetent cervix or given birth early due to a problem with their cervix, it shortened much more than that way earlier.  Most of us are just praying to get into the third trimester.  I think most likely your shortening is normal at this point (not a doc- just my two cents!).

ashbee0223

At 20 weeks my cervix was 1.5 I had to have an emergent cerclage and on bedrest, hoping to keep him baking!! Im sure yours is due to 3rd trimester getting you ready for L&D. A friend of mine was shortened to 2 at 33 weeks and she made it to 40 weeks.

Lili_h

At 34 weeks the doctor checked me because of my ptl history, I measured 1cm. Thats when they sent me to bedrst. At my 35 week appointment the doctor said he could check me only if I really wanted to, but he'll rather not do it because it could actually trigger contractions. So I decided not to get it checked. At this point, doctor said if I started labor they would not stop it. I did get my 2 steroid shots for baby's lung development though. And still taking my P17 shots until week 36.