Anyone had a cervical stitch?

[LucyLucyLonglegs]

Just trying to find someone else who has had a cervical stitch due to previous m/c. Had one put in 4 weeks ago as it looked like this pg was going belly up, thankfully they caught it in time. Lost last baby at 17weeks pg due to early opening of cervix.

Just want to see, once they take the stitch out, how long before labour begins?
Been told stitch will come out 4 weeks before due date and to stay near hosp. Is this correct????

Hi

I've had 2 stitches, due to an "incompetant" cervix! and both times it was a week after the stich was taken out that I went into labour.

Good luck!

HTH

X

Hi All so nice to hear from other people - well in our case, after a lot of careful consideration we have decided against the stitch this time as i am still not feeling 'right' about it. We are going to be monitored regularly thou - and I have decided to have the monitoring done at a different clinic to that of my gynae, as she seems to think that close monitoring will not make any difference if there were to be a negative outcome. We have also decided as a family that really from about 19 - 24 weeks or thereabouts i will be doing near to nothing in a bid to ..... well make us feel better. i suspect that this will be a somewhat ' nervous' pregnancy but i still feel happier with this than with doing the stitch. Please note that with my other 2 pregnancies i had no problems with doing the stitch so it is not that i am against them.

hi i had a stitch put in when i was 19 weeks but when they were putting my stitch in my mainbrains were coming out slowly so they pushed them back in but then oer the next week my water had broke slowly but i didnt know so then they had to take the stich out and the next day i went into labour and had a baby boy who only lived for over hour but there was nothing they could do to save him as he was to little i was 20 weeks pregnant and i had a baby boy this happened only 2 weeks and 2 dayss ago i need help ?
did i go into labour because i had the stitch out
or was it going to happen anyway due to my mainbrains coming out before stitch was put in

hello amz4221 - just wanted to reply to ur post tht i lost my baby last week at 19 weeks and they said it was prob cervical weakness cuz i lost my first one at 14 weeks due to my waters breaking.
this time round, when i went in for a routine scan, they found my cervix to be open and the bag of waters buldging through it - they said there was nothg they could do and just wait till the waters fall through (which they did) or break and me to deliver the baby normally.
according to the docs they said if the bags already falling through theres not much they can do about it, even with the stitch you could still go into labour.
mayb next time they will do it earlier?

Hi, thanks godness I have found you...
I lost a baby 10days ago he was 19w1d gestation, almost exactly a year ago I lost another wee boy at 19w2d... These both started with bulging membranes, so went on hospital bed rest, and in the latest baby they put an emergency stitch in, but it didnt hold and just ripped anyway.
What I cant understand is why I cant carry any babies but yet I have a nearly 3yr old. Something obviously went wrong with his labour.
Am going back to the Obst in a month, and want to be prepared with questions for him... Have you any advice for things I need to find out?
I am sorry for your losses, it really hurts.
xx

hi sorry to hear of ur losses, i had 2 stillbirths at 22wks the last 1 was 6 yrs ago, im 8 wks pregnant now, waiting for apt with hospital, just read on web that stitch is done between 12 & 14wks so havnt got long till i have it i will be alot happer once its done. xx

Hi! My husband and I lost our second little boy on 15th Jan 08 @ 23 weeks gestation. I'm still hurting so bad. I have to have a stich next time. But im very scared and actullay think i may be expecting again... just waiting to miss a period b4 i can do a test. i also have a gyni appointment this tuesday. It will be the first time that i will have the oppetunity to discuss post mortem results.
I'm so pleased that i came across this discussion it fills me with hope to read all of the sucsess stories with the stich!! Bless you all
xxx

Hi there - this is a late addition to this thread but I'm in the position of needing a stitch if my current cycle of IVF works. I'm so sorry to hear of everyone's losses. Can someone tell me more about the op and recovery time?

hi im a newbie but wish i had found this site a long time ago,many of the threads could have been written by myself. i am currently 34weeks preg,due to having letzz treatment,left with incompetent cervix (unbeknown to me) suffered two late miscarriages (very traumatic) and after vowing to never have another pregnancy,six years later find myself at the very near end of pregnancy with the stitch being removed next week. I am absolutely terrified as i have been through every stage of preg,of the stitch being removed,im unsure of the pain factor and what to expect if anyone can inform me on these two areas i would be v.grateful

anyone please,stitch comming out monday 1 september and im hyperventillating at the thought of the unknown.

Hi, im new here but thank god i found this thread, i lost my daughter at 20 weeks in oct and am now 28 weeks pregnant with a stitch in place. I too am terrified of having it removed but my consultant assures me it is painless, he said it feels just like a routine smear - it gave me a little comfort

Hi, im new here but thank god i found this thread, i lost my daughter at 20 weeks in oct and am now 28 weeks pregnant with a stitch in place. I too am terrified of having it removed but my consultant assures me it is painless, he said it feels just like a routine smear - it gave me a little comfort

Hi, im new here but thank god i found this thread, i lost my daughter at 20 weeks in oct and am now 28 weeks pregnant with a stitch in place. I too am terrified of having it removed but my consultant assures me it is painless, he said it feels just like a routine smear - it gave me a little comfort

Hi jetsta2,well i had stitch out 2weeks ago,i can tell you its not painless and feels a heck of alot different from a smear,i knew this was gonna be the case as before the consultant started he asked for the midwife to pass me the gas and air,was i glad of it. baby hasnt arrived but we now have a new problem,baby is lying cross ways,from hip to hip,(transverse),if it hasnt moved into the normal head down position by 16sept i have to have a c section.Im upset at all the complications but this is the furtherst ive carried 37weeks,so m grateful for the stitch. Good luck and i will keep checking on here so dont forget the updates, take care and good luck.xx

I had a stitch put in at 24 wks, membranes bulging had to be pushed back up, waters totally went about 5 hours later, went into labour 10 days later had my stitch out in between contractions it had half torn out anyway, uncomfortable, just like a smear but I tried to relax as the worst part is when you tense up

I have been reading this page for a while and have now managed to join. I lost my baby on the 20th June due to cervical incompetence and didn't realise that so many people have been through it too. Finn was born at 23 weeks and i thought my world had ended. It is so re-assuring to hear of other people that have been through the same and then went on to have successful pregnancies. I was told last week that i would defo need stitches. I thought after 3 normal pregnancies that nothing would go wrong. I would just like to say thanks to everyone on here as it has made my grieving a little easier. Hopefully it'll be fine for us next time too. xxx

I lost a baby after going in to preterm labour at 26 weeks. My little boy fought bravely for 2 weeks before passing away. Unfortunately I delivered too early for the steroid to work effectively and although he was otherwise healthy, his lungs were just too immature. He was my first and this was in June. I am currently pregnant again and have been assured that I will be regularly monitored and given a stitch if necessary. They have also told me that if I wish I can have progesterone suppositories which judging by the research are proven more effective than the stitch, although still quite new and not commonly used here in the uk. Although I had a loop cone diathermy, the consultants seem to dismiss this as a likely cause as it is apparently not very invasive, they also say that usually (statistically) women who deliver 1 baby prematurely will go on to deliver normally the next time around. Although I would love to be reassured by statistics, it is not that easily done after something like this has happened. I was wondering if anyone had any experiences or similar advice?

I'm so sorry to hear of all your losses. It's so hit and miss what can work and what cannot, heartbreaking. I being looked after by a consultant and am 19wks pregnant, he says diagnosing an incompetant cervix is not an exact science and offered a stitch our decision 50/50, I had it done 2wks ago, so far so good. I will be put on progesterone treatment at 22ks I agree with Kez05 the research I have read on Progesterone seems to be more positive than stitches. Even though the stitch I had in my first pregnancy only lasted 10 days ish, thats 10 days extra in the womb and at that stage it's crucial for steroids to kick in. While my daughter spent 3 months in hospital after being born at 25+5 weeks she is now a happy healthy 2 year old

Hi Jenty, I was wondering if they have been measuring your cervical length? And did this have any impact on the decision to have the stitch? I have been told that the stitch will be placed depending on what's going on with my cervix. However, I'm not sure when they will want to start monitoring this. I haven't even booked yet, as I am waiting to get past 8 weeks first before contacting midwife (end of this week). It must have been so difficult to have had your daughter in the hospital for 3 months. The experience of the neonatal unit is like slow torture with all the highs and lows. I'm just glad that I got two precious weeks with my little boy.

Hi Monica, I just wanted to let you know that I lost my little boy on the 19th June. So I can really truely understand your pain and how you are still feeling now. I hope you are managing to heal and have support around you.

Hiya Thanks for the respose Jenty, i hope all is wellwith ur baby and hope the little one turnscfor u. Kez05, they meausered my cervix with an internal ultra sound every two weeks from being 10 weeks pregnant up until it was fitted at 16 weeks which was when my cervix began to open. I booked in at 8 weeks which is when my GP made the refferal to the hospital. Since then i have been monitored roughly every 3 weeks at the hospital and also see my midwife once a fortnight. Its alot of appointments but worth it! Hope this helps!

Also does anyone know if you go into labour before the stitch is removed do your waters still break or do the trickle out? weird question but was just wondering.

Hi there, can i join you? I had dd at 27+5 nearly 3 years ago due to having a short cervix. I am so sorry for your losses. It was diagnosed at 24 weeks and I was in a trial using progesterone pessaries but didn't have a stitch because it was diagnosed so late.

Am now 11 weeks pregnant and due to have my scan and first consultant appointment next week, and expect to have a stitch put in around 14 weeks. I think they will scan every fortnight and may suggest progesterone as well.

Kez05, although it is early days I really would suggest you get yourself booked as soon as possible and make sure your GP has you down as high risk. If you saw a consultant last time I would also suggest contacting them directly to ask how early they will want to see you. Then go back to your GP and ask them to make the referral so that things happen quickly. Plus if you have the option to go to a teaching hospital with a level 3 baby unit, try and book there as you are more likely to be able to see a consultant experienced in preterm birth.

Plus if you haven't already found it, check out the pregnancy section at www.blissmessageboard.org.uk. You will find nothing but support.

Hugs

Thanks Kez05, thejesta2 neonatal is slow torture, the noise, the lack of contact with baby, it was heartbreaking but I felt so lucky at the same time as the outcome, as you well know could have been alot worse for us. The consultant checked my cervix and said it looked good and healthy. He said 50/50 our descision cervical length was good at 2.7 (I really don't know inches cm??) But said we could take the opinion if we have it done then at least we can say we've tried everything. It was difficult and he offered us weekly scans if we didn't have it done, we sat down and just thought lets do it. Then when they put the clamps in before the stitch goes in, the cervix opened so consultant said if he'd known that was going to happen it he would have recommended the stitch 80/20 for. (he likes his percentages. Waters breaking with stitch, they can trickle out, I thought I'd wet the bed and that was only at 24+6ish. Sorry to be disgusting but the midwife took my bedding away and had a "good sniff" as she put it, then I had to wear sanitary pads for a while it was as much as a period, but if your unsure take it too the hospital with you, midwives are hardcore! If your in labour they take the stitch out asap. regardless of wether your waters have broken.

oh, cervical length does have a bearing on the stitch debate, different hospitals have different policies on that one, my mums work colleague is a few weeks behind me and had her first baby at 24wks, she is seeing the same consultant, who checked cervix length and recommended the stitch straight away for her, no 50/50 or anything, so if they think you need it they recomment it. My hubbies dad is a retired doc, and he thinks that while it's traumatic mentally to have a stitch, medically it is not a very invasive procedure (thats a lower stitch not a upper stitch or an abdominal stitch)

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have contacted my midwife and am being referred straight to my consultant. I'm lucky to be in a small maternity unit where our loss has hit everyone hard, due to it not happening often and being in a small area. Guess I will just have to wait and see how everything pans out with cervical length etc! Lizzytee, I'm curious, do you know what the outcome of the progesterone study was in your hospital and do they think it helped to prolong your pregnancy at all lat time? Intrigued as to anyone's experiences. I know a lot of people have the stitch but as it is often precautionary it is hard to know whether it actually prolongs the pregnancy, or whether the pregnancy would have gone that far anyway!