Anyone been through this. Possible Incompetent Cervix

Re: Anyone been through this. Possible Incompetent Cervix

• wingedbride member

  November 2009

  I have incompetent cervix, but mine is short without any opnenings. It is a little different. I am sorry your doctor is not giving you any suggestions or guidance, I cannot imagine how frustrating that is.

   

  I had a cerclage this past Monday at 14 w. I am so glad I did and I have no concerns or regrets. I live in Houston, which has one of the largest medical centers in the country and my perinatologist is the top in his field. He was very informative and explained all the risks/benefits. The benefits of the cerclage far outwieghed the risks for my case.

   I am not sure what a FMS is. Is that the same as a perinatologist? I would say if it were me, I would seek a second opinion or ask for a referral for a specialist. You need someone who can give you sound advice.

   

  Good luck!

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• ahava2005

  November 2009

  Do you mean a funneled cervix?  That's what it sounds like.  I have one of those (and also a short one) and did not have a cerclage myself....it would have caused more risk to me and wasn't appropriate in my situation.  I was diagnosed with a short cervix at 13 weeks due to 3 bleeding episodes, and it was funneled then as well:  the cervix itself was around 2 cm, but the funneling brought some of it down to .5 cm.

  Unfortunately there is no real 'treatment' other than bed rest and possible progesterone injections or suppositories (I do the suppositories).  

  You can certainly get another opinion if you have that option as well. 

  Yes, a FMS is a peri...the official term is a maternal fetal medicine specialist (MFM). 

    

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• choco_latte

  November 2009

  I think my situation is somewhat similar. I had many large fibroids with my first pregnancy. I had PTL at 24 weeks and stayed on bedrest until 32 weeks when I had PTL and DS was delivered by emer. C/S. I had a myo after that and got pg with #2. My cervix was long until about 23 weeks when they noticed I had a funnel and the length had shortened. My peri decided against giving me a cerclage due to the risks. I also looked everywhere on the 'net to find info about this and found nothing. But in reading your post, I think the prior procedures, such emerg C/S, D&C and myo may have contributed to the funneling and IC. But no doctor would tell me that. I am getting the progesterone injections once a week to decrease PTL. I'm also on Procardia / Nifedipine for contrax. From my experience over the last few months, since there's no meds you can take for funneling or a shortening cervix, bedrest and decreasing contrax is very important for our situation. Since about 26 weeks, I've been monitored once a week for cervical length. Sometimes I've gone in and it's 1.5 cm and I have contractions and they admit me. Other times I've gone in and its 2.0 and I have no contractions and they send me home. I've been in and out of the hospital 3 times in the last 3 months. My peri told me the cervix is like a sponge and will responded negatively to pressure being put on it. They told me if my cervix continued to shorten, they would put me on hospital bedrest with my legs and feet at a higher angle than my head to reverse gravity. That was enough for me to stay on strict bedrest. If your cervix starts to shorten rapidly or you show slight signs of PTL, your peri may give you steriods for baby's growth. I had 2 rounds of those steroids.

  I don't know if I've given you any real advice but I will tell you what my docs have told me: keep pressure off the cervix as much as possible, empty the bladder constantly and drink tons of water. I have followed their instructions and my cervical length has remained at 2.0 cm for the last 4 weeks. And the funelling has not increased at all either. I hope to make it another 1-2 weeks. They also told me that the baby's growth over the last trimester could also affect the funnel and shorten the cervical length.

  Good luck to you! I know it's hard to tell what the best solution is, but I really do believe that bedrest has helped me immensely.

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• justblessed

  November 2009

  Thanks ladies for the responses. My doctor has never said that it was caused by the D & C or the myomectomy but I don't expect him to  since he did both of those procedures. I read the stuff on the next about what could cause injury/damage to the cervix and figured that might be it. The specialist nor my doctor have ever used the term funneling but it sounds like that is what it could be. They just keep saying it unusual because normally there would be shorter cervix associated with the opening but so far there is none. I didn't get the cerclage because I have been through two surgical procedures in the last year and will have to have a C-section and to me it seemed like to much to put on the uterus and cervix. Also the last time, I was having contractions and pain assoicated with the PROM and they mentioned that if I started contracting and was unable to get them stopped, I would have to have the cerclage removed to prevent utering rupture which is already a risk associated with the myomectomy. Also I was already at 20 weeks by the time I had the second ultrasound and normally, they would have already done the cerclage and I figured that I might be okay with the bedrest since so far so good. I go back to the doctor on Tuesday and I hope the length is still good which would put my mind at ease. Again thanks for the responses.

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• melaniecl

  November 2009

  With DS, I had a short cervix and funneling and had an emergent cerclage at 23w3d. I believe that if it wasn't for my cerclage, DS probably wouldn't be with me today. Good luck with your decision!

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