The Short Cervix Club

[Pizdets]

Given the high number of threads started in 'pregnancy' on short/incompetent cervixes of late, I thought I'd have a crack at starting a club which we can join to share how we're getting on and pool the information we've been given which hopefully can also reassure or inform other ladies coming on here and worried about the state of their cervixes.

I'll kick off with a bit about my own story:

I'm currently 24+4, due 26th September. I had a scan at the prem clinic at Queen Charlotte's in London who measured my cervix as 2.3/2.4cm and advised a stitch (they do this for anyone who measures under 2.5cm). I had the stitch put in at 15 weeks with a spinal block and so far so good - I'm walking the dog, doing pregnancy yoga, still fairly active and no problems or twinges at all (so far!).

Please feel free to share your experiences, ask questions or update, it's great to hear from other people going through the same worry and so reassuring to know if things are going well!

Piz

Thanks for the replies. Back from my scan and thankfully cervix seems to have stabilised at 24mm (worst-case measurement; was measuring 26/27mm from some angles) at 16 weeks, so I can breathe again - well, for the next two weeks anyway .

Also asked about exercise and they said that it was ok to carry on with the bike/swimming (maybe you only need to avoid if you've had cerclage?) as long as I'm not planning to run any marathons... thus proving once again that everywhere is different . Will give it a - gentle - go, and they said they would tell me if they were concerned

Anyway, strong cervix thoughts to all x

Oh, also looks as though I'm adding no.4 to my collection of boys . Just had to share..

hello piz!

yes, my scan is on weds, thanks for your kind words. have everything crossed that it will be good news. hormones have been all over the place these last few days and keep dissolving in tears. once at work, not a good look. must stop looking at pics of my friend's premie baby. MUST.

hope you're feeling a bit better this week? am visualising fat, full term babies for all of us :)

Great news sleeptheif, both about the cervix and a boy! So are you 16 weeks too?

Well after a pretty useless visit to the hospital today (arranged by my midwife literally this morning), I've been refused progesterone and another scan. They were going to give me one at 18 weeks but changed their mind when they found out that my anomaly scan (plus CL) is actually at 19 weeks, not 20. They said a week won't make a difference. Hmmm I beg to differ.

So I've arranged a private CL scan (plus another sneak at baby!) for a week tomorrow, so will be 18 weeks. £130 down but if it helps look after my baby, money well spent!

Wish I could get the progesterone. Hope everyone else is well.

Hi pink fairy, who wouldn't they give you the progesterone? Seems like treatment can vary so much. I've been in it daily since 7 weeks...My doctor did advise it immediately, but i do also live overseas and you can just buy it over the counter here if you want to...
Enjoy your extra scan!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new ladies as well. I am so sorry you have had to find yourselves here, but you are very very welcome. It has been a lifeline to me being able to share worries with others who understand the things we are going through.

I am 38+5 today with my second child. My first son was born at 24 weeks last year, and sadly only lived a fortnight. I was diagnosed after that with an incompetant cervix. This time I had a stitch in at 14 weeks, and progesterone pesseries throughout. Stitch has been out since 36 weeks, and I have an ELCS booked on Thursday.

Despite feeling like Tiny could fall out AT ANY SECOND for the last two weeks or so, I am still here! We only need to hold on for 2 more days and then all will go according to plan. I am torn between being desperate to meet him and terrified because I am not ready!

Any pregnancy I think is going to be very emotional. Add any sort of issue or setback and it can become terrifying. We are allowed to be sad and whine if we need to, it is theraputic and better than bottling things up and leaving them to fester.

Sending good cervix vibes to everyone. x x

Oh, sorry sleepthief I'd forgotten you don't have the stitch! Lost track! Yes, the infection risk for swimming is only if you have the stitch so sure you're fine, good news that you can be active and keep busy. I went to the beach the other day and was DYING to get into the sea for a swim.

pinkfairy sorry they seem to be fobbing you off, sure the private scan will give you some peace of mind about it all. Hopefully when you have your anomaly scan you can get a clearer picture of how things are going and push for more if needs be.

Kelly will be thinking about you tomorrow and hoping all goes OK. I'm exactly the same with my friends' preemie babies and it gives me such vivid dreams! A girl from our NCT gave birth to twins last week at 33 weeks and the smaller one was only 1.5(ish)kg, but they're all doing really well and just on the normal ward for a few days.

Rainbox I rather thought we'd hear from you with some news! Good to hear Tiny is still brewing up nicely and things are going according to plan. I don't know about you but pregnancy is pretty OK mentally because I've been pregnant FOREVER between the two pregnancies this year and last, but it does seem to make the idea of taking a baby home more and more distant. Hoping things will all go smoothly for you and you'll be back home and settling in, I'm sure you're a lot more ready than you realise.

All fine here, he's still kicking away and I have a scan a week today to check the placenta has moved up (which ladies at the prem clinic confirmed, but of course one department doesn't speak to the other). Time seems to be flying by.

Hope everyone is good and all the usual cervix vibes heading to you all.

Piz

Hey all, sorry I haven't posted in a while.

Piz - hope you're feeling a bit less "teary". I'm sure it's tied up with the one year anniversary coming up.. A tough time. Rainbow..... Nearly there!!!

Myloves - I am so sorry for the loss of your triplets. I understand the worries of a multiple pregnancy... I am expecting twins now (31+3). I too carried a singleton fine (DD came at 40+14!) but a routine cv length scan at 23 weeks showed my cervix had shortened to 20mm - exceptionally short for twins.. So I had the stich a day or two later...

All fine here - cv length at 30 weeks was holding up at 39mm. Next measurement at 34 weeks when, really, I'll be mostly out of the danger zone anyway. I really, really want to make it to 36 weeks....

Re exercise and activity etc, I was told no sex and no swimming. I took it v easy in the week or two following the stitch, but am back to normal now. I have no choice really. Still working full time (ten hour days) and DD (2.9) still needs picking up loads... Not much I can do to take it easy really!

Kelly - try, as ever, to focus on not worrying unless and until there is actually something to worry about. When I was on labour ward for my stitch, there was a woman next to me with PROM (waters br

Sorry... broken) and contractions every 2 mins at 24 weeks. None of us are there right now (although I know some of us have had this experience)... I've tried to focus on that...

hello everyone!

some positive news from me for once, scan yesterday went well. stitch is holding and the baby has grown! i have literally been eating everything in sight so this is a huge relief.

small milestones, am back again to consultant in two weeks. she said the aim is to get to 34 weeks and anything after that is a bonus. if anything changes then it will be straight in for a c section. she also said not to be too far from the hospital - so have agreed no more crazy work car trips and am using holiday time to work half days for the next month.

am going to pack hospital bag so am mentally prepared if we need to make a dash!

hope everyone is feeling good. as ever you are all in my thoughts.

rainbow, when will we hear baby news from you :)

Hurrah! Kelly that's great news! Your little baby will be in there brewing for a while longer, 34 weeks is a really good number to work towards, another of my NCT class just had a little girl at 35 weeks and all seems very happy and healthy (they're all going early!) with no real concerns at all.

Legally, I am feeling a bit better, thanks, think it was some kind of hormone surge, just found it hard to get over it like usual. We have a scan on Tuesday and I'm sure seeing him in there and being able to check he's OK will do a lot of good, you can't help but worry. Good news all measuring well with you. When will you go off on maternity leave? 10 hour work days sounds awful, I'm horribly lazy working from home at the moment, can't imagine a full day in the office right now.

Thinking of you today Rainbox and hope the ELCS is going/has gone well. How amazing to have your rainbow in your arms.

Thinking of you all and sending the usual.

Piz

piz, am so glad you're feeling a bit better, and i'm sure the scan on tuesday will make a huge difference.

am i right in thinking that rainbox has her c section today? or yesterday? terribly exciting!

Right, scan done, he's head down and the placenta has moved up! Very pleased and feel relieved that I can try and attempt a vaginal birth now. I have another (and my final) cervix scan on Monday. I don't think it's really for me, but for the research study I'm a part of, but will be good to see them a last time and ask any last-minute questions before the stitch comes out in early September.

Kelly, hope all holding up well and growing nicely at your end. Rainbox, thinking of you and looking forward to news when you have time.

Long cervix thoughts to everyone else!

Piz

Piz that's great news on the scan! What's the due date that you're working towards?

Not much to report here, painful hips which doc has given me magnesium for...trying to stay out of the heat and relax as much as possible. Next scan on the 18 th by which time will be 32+5, every extra week is so exciting!

Hope everyone doing well :)

hello everyone, just checking in to see how we all are?

i can't believe i'm now 32 weeks, have definitely started to (try) to relax a bit more now, knowing that the baby is almost cooked....34 weeks is so close now!

friend here with a stitch just delivered her twins at 29 weeks. not sure if it was spontaneous or if the stitch gave out....they are in NICU so fingers crossed for them all.

am still working but completely over it to be honest! tired and achy and not sleeping so well....but VERY happy to still be pregnant.

hope everyone is doing well, have been thinking of you all :)

Hi Kelly,

32 weeks is great, well done! Very pleased for you and fingers crossed for your friend.

I'm 34 weeks now and was discharged from the prem clinic this week - if he comes now they reckon he'll be fine - very pleased and freaked out to have got here.

They did worry me a bit about the stitch removal, though, from telling me originally it was going to be 'like a smear' they're now talking about gas and air and epidurals - has anyone who's had a stitch removed got any experience of this? What was it like for you?

I'm also still working but from home, of course, and counting down the next 2.5 weeks when I can lie in bed or nip out without feeling guilty!

Thinking of all of you and hoping things are going well!

Piz

gas and air and epidural, really? yikes?! maybe they are being over cautious, there has been no mention of this to me!

i have a scan on sunday so will ask then. although as i am having a section i think now they will just whip it out when epidural is in.

when i was having my coil fitted i had heard all sorts of horrific stories, my doctor wanted to give me a sedative - was terrified. in actual fact it pinched for about 30 seconds and i was absolutely fine.

34 weeks is amazing, how far we have come!

enjoy your last 2.5 weeks :)

Hi ladies, please can I join in.

I am 20+5. Back in January I had two cysts removed one on each ovary. During the op the consultant noticed that I had a unicornuate uterus and a rudimentary horn, because of this when I got pregnant I been closely monitored to where the baby is, as if it is in the Rh it can be really dangerous and there is not enough room for it to grow. From 15 weeks I have been having cervical length scans.

15+4 - 43mm
18+4 - 39mm
20+4 - 30mm
No funnelling.

Yesterday they prescribed me cyclogest but also discussed having the stitch, but they said with the stitch there is a huge risk of mc or infection.

How do they do the stitch is it a local anaesthetic?
What is the latest you could have the stitch?
Is it if it gets to 25mm you have to definetley have to have the stitch?

They tell me so information in appointments and when I come out I don't remember half of it.

Lou x

Hi Lou

Welcome to the board, sorry you may need it but hope you find it useful. To answer your questions:

I had my stitch under a general. I have heard of people just having a spinal block but this was never given as an option as my doc deemed it too stressful and I agree.

I had my stitch at 14/15 weeks as was told the earlier the better.the later it gets the more risky.

Th risks of mc or infection are very low, I amot sure where your doc is getting the word 'huge' from. Any risk is out weighed by benefit of stitch, in my opinion.

I'm also on cyclogest and have been since week 7. Am 32 weeks now.

My cervix measures 2.5 on average and there was never any question by my consultant that a stitch was the best way forward. You will hear of others who get slightly different advice though, it can be confusing.

Personally I am really glad I have had the stitch, in my case I don't think I would still be pregnant without it, my consultant actually said she never thought I'd make it this far, even with it.

It's not the most pleasant thing in the world to to go through but really not that bad.

When is your next scan? K

Hi Lou,

Congrats on your pregnancy and sorry you've had some stresses. All of your measurements look good to me so far but clearly if it's a case of running out of room it's not that straightforward!

If you read back over this thread you'll see we've all had very different experiences, it doesn't seem like there's definitive guidance on what's best to do unfortunately. To give you my answers to your questions:

I had a spinal for the stitch. I think this is the 'least' anaesthetic they offer, if you see what I mean. Like Kelly says, it wasn't pleasant but was quick and straightforward.

I don't think there's a 'latest' for the stitch, I was told by my prem clinic that they worry most up to 27 weeks, after that it's less of a concern, so maybe if you get past 27 weeks they'll find another way to manage it? From what I've been told it's better to have a preventative stitch than to wait until there's a problem and then put one in - that's when most of the infections and complications seem to occur (although still a good chance of it being fine).

At my hospital they will always recommend a stitch if your cervix is shorter than 2.5cm, but I know elsewhere it's not guaranteed and some hospitals treat in different ways. For example, I found out this week that my stitch is nylon, which is different to most other hospitals. Also I've not been given progesterone or antibiotics...nothing, whereas our sister hospital gives antibiotics as standard after the stitch has gone in and a lot of people on here seem to have been prescribed progesterone too!

In terms of the risk, I was told the 'official' risk is 1:100, however the doctor told me confidently that she'd never had any problems with putting a preventative stitch in and she does about one a week (on average). If your doctor isn't confident then could you look at getting it done at another hospital? I don't know where you are but I know Queen Charlotte's in London specialises in this stuff, and I think Guy's and Thomas' is also very good.

I'm not 34 weeks and all seems fine so far, life has gone on pretty much as normal and I'm now counting down the last 3 weeks until the stitch comes out. I'll never know if I needed it or not, but very pleased to have carried a healthy baby this far.

Good luck and keep us updated!

Piz

hello, sorry if this has been answered already, but does anyone know if you can get them to check your cervix when you're having a scan? all doctors so far have sort of laughed it off so far without checking or even attempting to offer me some sort of reassurance, I'm 11 weeks pregnant and would really just like the reassurance as it's something I'm really paranoid about - any advice is appreciated!

sorry i probably should have included that what I'm paranoid about is that my cervix is short and 'open' and has been since surgery after a miscarriage, although i don't know what's normal/what may be problematic.

Hi Kelly. My next scan is 27th August so we will see what they say then x

So on day one of taking cyclogest I was a little itchy but thought nothing of it.
Last night was however a different matter, I put it in at around 6.30 and by 8.30, It was so itchy and felt like it was burning, I had to have a shower and try to stop the pain, OH started to get really worried, I was so irritated, sweating, I felt like I was in hell! By around 10ish it started to calm down.

So I will not be taking that anytime soon!

X

greymoose sorry to hear your hospital has been dismissive, that's not good. I had my cervix scanned at about 13 weeks and the stitch put in at 14, it was done by the prem clinic. Can you ask your midwife about a referral? Just to reassure you a bit, I think often the cervix can feel quite 'open' from the outside but it's what's happening on the inside which is most important, so it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem...although you have every right to get checked out if you're worried!

tulips sounds like a horrible reaction to the cyclogest, how horrible! Can you go back and get them to prescribe something else?

Best of luck to everyone else and long cervix thoughts!

Piz

Hi everyone, hope you're all well and great to see the original cervix club like piz doing well hi and good luck newbies, let me know if anyone has any questions about my experience - as someone else said, the advice and treatment you get varies so much!

Just a quick update from me, I had a cervix scan a couple of weeks ago at 23/24 weeks (my last one hopefully) and it was over 3 and not funnelling/open from the inside. I'm actually really glad I didn't have a stitch as touching wood and crossing fingers, it sounds like I'll be ok without it so feeling good about things. That's not to say I blame the first consultant who originally recommended the stitch to me - it's such a difficult call to make especially for a first timer. I'm now 25 weeks woop! Stitch or no stitch, it's so good ticking weeks off isn't it!