The Amazing Cervical Yo-Yo (XP: PGAL)

lv2011 · December 2013

I had my 1st ever MFM appointment today because of my stupid cervix. Back at 14 weeks it measured 3.1cm. On Thursday it measured 2.06cm and prompted the urgent appointment today. Then I get there, I'm all prepared as can be to be told I need a cerclage, and the darned thing measured 5.86cm! Longer than "normal" range! The MFM is positive that's not accurate because I was having some Braxton-Hicks contractions while they were trying to measure. They even had me wait 30 minutes and tried again, with the same result. I go back in a week to check on it and see what it is doing then. At this point, I'm almost hoping it's back down to 2 so I can have the cerclage scheduled, done, and over with. If it keeps going back and forth like this I'm going to go nuts. I feel like I should be thrilled that it's long, but at the same time I'm terrified by what could happen in this next week by waiting to measure it again.

Any of you other ladies ever have this issue, or know someone who has? I just feel lost on what to expect from here.

bossyfnp · December 2013

Im not too familiar with that but I did one time here a md and ultrasound tech say that sometimes if the cervix curves a little bit..the measurements can appear differently to whoever is measuring it at the time

angelsnight · December 2013

Will your doctor not do the cerclage unless it's at a certain length? I had suspect IC with my last pregnancy (delivered at 22 weeks and lost our daughter) but they couldn't say for certain I had IC, but my doc was fine with giving me a cerclage just in case. I never even had a cervical measurement until 17 weeks, they did the cerclage at 14 weeks.

Cervical length can fluctuate, mine goes up and down between 4 and 5cm, but you're right, above 5 is crazy long, especially considering you were as low as 2 something. I'm not sure it can fluctuate that much. I would request getting the cerclage soon and be done with it since you have definitely had shortening. You're getting to the point where a preventative cerclage wouldn't be possible and a rescue cerclage has higher risks, less success rate and it's a more difficult surgery....not horrible I don't think, but I would say a preventative is almost always more desirable.

paige0328 · December 2013

With my current pregnancy, I measured 1.8 on a Tuesday, and by Fri it was up to a 4 (this was around 28 weeks). That was the most drastic change, but it's fluctuated significantly (by a whole centimeter or more) more than once. Nobody has been able to explain it to me, other than that the cervix is "dynamic" and that super strict bedrest may have attributed to the gain in length. I hope you get a great measurement again next week... I agree with pp's to request a cerci age.

lv2011 · December 2013

Laura8388 said:

Will your doctor not do the cerclage unless it's at a certain length? I had suspect IC with my last pregnancy (delivered at 22 weeks and lost our daughter) but they couldn't say for certain I had IC, but my doc was fine with giving me a cerclage just in case. I never even had a cervical measurement until 17 weeks, they did the cerclage at 14 weeks.

Cervical length can fluctuate, mine goes up and down between 4 and 5cm, but you're right, above 5 is crazy long, especially considering you were as low as 2 something. I'm not sure it can fluctuate that much. I would request getting the cerclage soon and be done with it since you have definitely had shortening. You're getting to the point where a preventative cerclage wouldn't be possible and a rescue cerclage has higher risks, less success rate and it's a more difficult surgery....not horrible I don't think, but I would say a preventative is almost always more desirable.
I'm wondering if the tech doesn't know where she is measuring. I have had two of the ones I see at the hospital admit they don't do these often and there is a lot of variation in where it can be measured. Can you suggest an ultrasound tech (or doc) with a lot of experience with this type of examination? Does a tech even do it? Or the doc?

The tech that did the scan works specifically for the MFM office, so she only ever sees high-risk patients and a fair amount of them with IC. And, like I said, she even measured twice because she and the MFM noted the abnormal length. They also said that the cervix can be a dynamic thing, but that even this was outside the realm of what should be expected.

I'm very glad I go back in a week, and regardless of what that measurement is at that time, I'll be requesting the cerclage be done. I'm just not comfortable playing games of "wait and see" with this. I just hope they don't give me a hard time about it. I would much rather be safe than sorry.
Particularly since they won't perform one after 22 weeks, because of the greater likelihood of triggering pre-term labor, which seems very quickly approaching.

Keep your FX crossed for me ladies, please, that next week's appointment goes as well as I really need it to. Thanks for all your responses!

Roses87 · December 2013

We're these measurements both vaginal ultrasounds?

lv2011 · December 2013

Roses87 said:

We're these measurements both vaginal ultrasounds?

Yes, both vaginal.

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