incompetent cervix

[girlonabicycle]

i've asked to be assessed as I previously had some treatment on my cervix- laser about 20 years ago and about 10 years ago LEEP. Midwife has referred me and says at some point further along my pregnancy i'll get to see a consultant. I'm terrified my assessment won't happen in time and i'll miscarry before anything can be done. Does anyone have any information about when i'll be seen? and whether they will be cautious or agree to a stitch readily? Has anyone had the sort of treatment i've had and been told all way well. My midwife said both treatments were along time ago, she didn't say why that would be good. can your cervix grow anymore? sorry to ask so many questions. Pointers to useful websites also welcomed. Thanks very much.

[girlonabicycle]

no one had this?

[Methe]

I have ic due to lletz and 2 premature children to show for it! I am the exception rather than the rule or so I am told. ic isn't common and the vast vast majority of woman that have had cervical surgery will have normal pregnancies so don't panic!

I can't write much as I'm just nodding off after a nightshift but will pop back this evening :)

[girlonabicycle]

thanks methe. i wish i'd asked more after i had treatment done. I know it was nothing radical, i didn't have a cone biopsy for instance. I'm in my 40s now and far more interested in knowing every detail of procedures. I'm probably panicking!

[StrawberrytallCAKE]

Hi girlonabicycle I had a leep in December just gone. My consultant told me 1 leep has no effect on a cervix, more than that will only increase the chances of the baby being born 1-2 weeks earlier than it would have, I was also concerned as we will be ttc in 2 months time.

I am looking for a website to confirm this and have found a couple of gynaecological studies which have shown there is minimal difference between women who have and have not had a leep.

Congratulations btw!

[girlonabicycle]

strawberry thanks so much. Just what i wanted to hear! I shall relax now and see the consultant in due course but it sounds very promising.

[oltob]

hi, I had a LEEP in June 2003. DD was born in Aug 2009 at 40+10. Other than than the MW saying 'oh you had a procedure' at booking in, it was never mentioned again and I didn't think to worry about it (made up for it by worrying about everything else). I'm currently 29 wks with DC2 - again a brief mention at bookign in but no further comment.
There was another thread on this not long ago (have a search) and occasionally people do require a stitch but I think this is the exception rather than the rule.
Try not to worry - I'm sure it'll be fine.

[Mikocat]

Hiya, I was told that I might be at risk of an incompetent cervix as I had had a cone biopsy previously. I had a cervical scan at about 14 weeks, which looked as if there was little cause for concern then they saw me again at 20 weeks and everything was fine so they didn't need to see me again. (If you search for Fanjo-Cam you might find the thread I started when I went for mine :) )

I don't think they do it early because there is no real danger to your baby until it starts to get too 'heavy' for your cervix, so don't worry that they aren't seeing you right away.

[user59457812]

Hi OP. I had a similar experience as Mikocat - a cone biopsy just a few months before we conceived. I had my cervix measured through an internal scan a few times before 24 weeks (I was told that was the point at which significant pressure starts to be exerted on the cervix). My cervix was still long and closed at 22 weeks, so they considered I was at no higher risk than anyone else so discharged me from consultant care. I'm now 36 weeks and as far as I know all good!

It was explained to me that it's really quite rare for even cone biopsy to cause preterm labour/miscarriage, to the degree that in many areas they won't even routinely offer cervical measurement any more. Clearly it does happen - sorry to hear about your experience Methe - but you certainly wouldn't be offered a stitch unless there was an obvious sign of shortening/funnelling of the cervix. You wouldn't really want to have one unnecessarily either as obviously any intervention can carry a risk of infection etc.

I'd discuss it with your GP and see if you can get at least one internal scan before 24 weeks, perhaps at the same time as your 20 week scan, if only to set your mind at rest. From what I was told throughout it doesn't sound like you have much to worry about. Wishing you a very dull and uneventful nine months

[Ponyclubmum]

I had a lletz loop about 8 years ago, and my DS was born in 2009. I was put under consultant care during the pregnancy as I was concerned about it, but the consultant didn't really do anything - only saw him once! The pregnancy was fine, I went into labour on my due date and DS was born the morning after.

I'm pregnant again now (12 weeks), under consultant care again, but I'm hoping to be discharged back to midwife-led care when I see him as all was fine last time. I have more options of where/ how to give birth if I'm not under consultant care.

Hopefully you'll be fine too, good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy!

[littlemissnormal]

I had a lletz 2 years ago, midwife at booking in not concerned at all and currently 28 weeks.

[girlonabicycle]

thanks to everyone who shared. I feel much , much better about it now. There was a question on my booking form about cervical procedures so i wrote down what i'd had done. The midwife didn't mention anything until i said " what about this question here?", then she said if i wanted a referral she'd do it.

[stripeyZ]

I was monitored for this too. My cervix was always a bit shorter following the Lletz at around 2.5cm but it hasn't been a problem & i'm currently 34 weeks. I was worried the whole way through my 2nd trimester & would ask to be referred if it bothers you. There's enough stuff to worry about in pregnancy as it is!

[jellybeans]

I haven't had any procedures but have IC which was discovered after I went into labour at 20 weeks with no warning and no contractions at all. It was probably from previous traumatic births and miscarriages. In the next pregnancy, I had scans from 16 weeks and at 21 weeks, had an emergency stitch, happily that time I went full term. If they are looking out for it and monitoring it, even if you have IC, there is a very good chance (90%) of a good outcome even after a stitch. In cases such as mine, there was no reason to suspect IC until after a late loss. Wishing you a happy safe pregnancy.

[cheaperthantherapy]

I also had 2 cone biopsy's years ago. First pregnancy I had many scans and my cervix was quite short - they considered putting in a stitch but in the end I went over due without one. This pregnancy they started scanning me again and my cervix is much longer than in first pregnancy so no cause for concern... I guess every pregnancy is different!
FWIW - One thing which did happen is I failed to dilate when induced and was told by consultant that it may have been caused by scar tissue on cervix.