Short cervix??

flowerintherain · October 2015

So I had a laser ablation of my cervix about 2 years ago and currently have CIN 3 again. I had a doctors appointment today at 19weeks 5 days and the doctor did a transvaginal ultrasound to measure the length of my cervix. He said it measured 3.1cm and didn't seem concerned really, but he did tell me to not over do it on the sex because sex can give me contractions. He scheduled me a level 2 anatomy scan this Friday. He didn't mention if he would recheck my cervical length. But after googling what a normal cervical length is, I'm concerned that 3.1 is low for this early in the pregnancy. Has anyone else had experience with their cervix measuring short after a surgery? What are my chances of getting put on bed rest or going in to preterm labor? Should I have my doctor recheck it again soon? Im a first time mother to be and spent too long dealing with fertility issues. I just want my little boy to be born full term and healthy. Please tell me if I have a reason to be concerned or if I'm just being worrisome.

kidcapri100 · October 2015

Hi there! You are definitely in the right place as there are lots of moms-to-be here with short or incompetent cervixes.
A measurement of over 3cm at your gestation is good! Usually they don't see it as an issue unless you drop below 2.5. Also if he didn't point out any funneling you should be good to go.
I had an aggressive LEEP procedure 8 years ago which left me with a short cervix. I was measuring 2.6 at 16 weeks and about 1.9cm by 24 weeks. I was put on progesterone around week 17 to slow down the shortening which helped keep it steady. I'm now 33 weeks and still hanging in there!

flowerintherain · October 2015

What exactly is funneling? I'm so sorry you're having to go through that. At least the progesterone has helped. Just hold on another few weeks and you'll be good! Were you put on bed rest?

peppercorn16 · October 2015

@flowerintherain, funneling is when it starts to open from the inside, and it appears as a v or u shape on ultrasound.

I have had a short cervix since 22 weeks when it was 2.2 cm. Three weeks of progesterone and bed rest later, and things are pretty much stable. My measurements range a bit, because my cervix is weakening on the inside (so when baby presses on it, it's shorter) but my shortest measurements have not gone below 1.6. As PP said, usually a short cervix is below 2.5, and intervention kicks into high gear at 2.0. That said, 3.1 is a good measurement, but bug them to keep an eye on it. Mine was 4 cm at 18 weeks, and in 4 weeks basically shortened by half. Not to alarm you, just make sure you advocate for the best care possible! A full term pregnancy is definitely possible even with a short cervix. It is an indicator that preterm labor might occur, nothing more!

breezypip · October 2015

I had no surgery or any risk factors, but they found my cervix starting to shorten at 22 weeks. I continued to get monitored closely and it still continues to get shorter. In 30 weeks now and last check at 28 my cervix was down to .8. I've been on progesterone, but wasn't put on modified bed rest until the last measurement. At that point I also received steroid shots, but I'm still hanging in there.

My doctors say bed rest is not proven to help preterm labor and were very hesitant to put me on it. They finally decided to as a last-ditch-can't-hurt effort. But even so I work from home 4/5 days per week and go into the office 1 day per week to my desk job. They tell me i have a higher RISK for preterm, but it is not guaranteed. I could make it to term, but they just don't know. From what I've gathered, a short cervix does not always = preterm baby, but it can, so it's good to monitor and take precautions. It's scary, but I celebrate every week that passes and keep my FX that I can at least get to 37 weeks.

Good luck!!

PlainJane8350 · October 2015

Mine started at 2.9 after a LEEP in '05. In the second trimester, it shot up to 3.4, but ended up going back down to 2.9. When that happened I demand a cerclage, but my doctor didn't want to do it so I asked to be put on vaginal progesterone (I had done some research on the March of Dimes website) and she put me on "couch potato rest."

Everything went fine and my water broke at 37 w. 6 d. My baby's head was "applied" to my cervix towards the end so it was hard to get accurate readings, but the lowest it ever got early on was 2.6. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with my short cervix or not, but I did have a very fast labor (according to the hospital)! When I got to the hospital it was 6:30 A.M. When they finally got around to checking me (my water wasn't registering as fluid) I was 3 cm. and by 2:30 P.M. I had my baby...with horrible pushing on my part, according to the nurse!

Just because your cervix is short, doesn't mean it's not strong. Especially if it's short due to something like surgery. Yours is long, too, 3.1!

It is important to ask them to check your cervical length transvaginally! Also, you want to know what it is with and without pressure and, like @peppercorn16 said, whether or not it's funneling or dialated.

This app sucks for me, it took me five tries to post, but if you have any questions you're welcome to e-mail me:

Plainjane19792001@Gmail.com

P.S. @kidcapri100, so happy that you're still hanging in there! Not far to go now!

caitlinmca · October 2015

I will be 20 weeks on Sunday and had my anatomy scan today. I had a leep May 2015 and got pregnant soon after. They have been keeping an eye on me and said my last cervical length check I was 4.2 and today I was down to 3.1. I have to go back in 4 weeks and have another ultrasound to check and see if it's stayed the same or become even shorter. They said if I get into the 2's they will start with interventions but didn't go into too much details. I work at a hospital 5 days a week and always on my feet so not sure if that helps.

kidcapri100 · October 2015

@PlainJane8350 I can't tell you how happy I am that you made it to 37.6!!
I actually have a question for you - did you start dilating and effacing early at all? I went to my 33wk appointment and was over 1cm dilated, almost fully effaced and baby's head was engaged (my doc seemed surprised and said it was "right there" during my physical exam - I'm pretty sure I dropped a week ago). I've heard some people can last several weeks like this - just curious if other short-cervixed ladies out there have been in a similar situation?
My doc seems to think I'll deliver around 35-36 wks but I'm crossing my fingers for at least 37..!

PlainJane8350 · October 2015

@kidcapri100 Her head was "applied" to my cervix since 24 weeks...that's why I never got accurate cervical length measurements after that.

Two weeks before I went into labor my cervix have moved and was soft, but not dilated. Could she feel the baby's head during the pelvic exam? The nurse told me that week that she was touching her head/hair. The next week, I went into labor that weekend, my doctor didn't do a manual exam. She planned to do one the following week.

Have you lost any of your mucus plug yet? Once that starts to happen, I'd say you're about two weeks out.

If you want to increase the odds of going further along, just start taking it easy. Stay hydrated and don't do a lot of walking. Are you on progesterone?

So excited for you! I'll wait until you're 37 weeks...but after that I can't wait to hear your birth story!

kidcapri100 · October 2015

@PlainJane8350 Yes she said she could feel the baby's head and what was left of my cervix was completely soft. I go back in 1 week for another manual exam. The Braxton Hicks have been pretty intense but no regular patterns thankfully! Also I don't think I lost my mucus plug but then again I have no clue because of the progesterone..I'm not sure I could differentiate and I'm not very good at "checking the toilet" if you know what I mean. I am on progesterone until week 36 so two more weeks.

The baby's head has also been up against my cervix since 30 weeks (we saw this on ultrasound) but no cervical measurements were taken after 24 weeks.

Hope your little girl is doing well and you are adjusting to life with a new baby! I'm planning on keeping my legs crossed until 37 weeks!

PlainJane8350 · October 2015

@kidcapri100 O.K. It sounds like your cervix is getting ready, but I think you'd know if you'd started losing your plug. I started losing mine little by little and I knew it, it looked like I had blown my nose into the toilet paper (and it was yellow). I never thought I'd say this, but start checking the toilet paper!

Keeping your legs crossed...you're so cute.

kidcapri100 · October 2015

@PlainJane8350 Oh no, the way you described it sounds exactly like what I've been noticing but I just thought it was little chunks of progesterone! But I did think it was strange as the color went from white-ish to yellow-ish over the past week and a slightly different texture.
I keep joking with my husband that our little guy has FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) just like his dad! Stay in there little buddy!

PlainJane8350 · October 2015

@kidcapri100 Sorry! But at least it sounds like it's coming out little by little, that happened to me for over two weeks, then I had another week until my water broke.

Can you take it easier? I didn't slow down, but the less you walk, etc, the better your chances are of keeping him in there.

We'll say some prayers for you guys, but I have faith that you'll make it to at least 37.

Rorybaby3 · April 2016

@flowerintherain

just wanted to follow up as I'm in a similar platoon- CIN 2/3 while pregnant (14 wks). Wondering how you proceeded with your CIN 3. Thanks.

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