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

Sweetheart that's great news, 32 weeks! My DD stopped growing at 32 due to IUGr, delivered at 36. She was 4 pounds, absolutely tiny but completely perfect. No ill effects from the stitch. Spent a day and night in NICU but just so she could regulate her temperature and blood sugar. If your baby was to come now I'm sure they would be fine.

My consultant said that after 30 weeks they just hang around getting fat anyway, so it can be for the best for them to come out! She was trying to cheer me up but it is partly true, they've done all their vital growing by then.

Hang in there everyone!

sweeetheart21,that,s lovely news and you nearly graduating from The Short Cervix Club,I had my youngest daughter at 30 weeks and she had no problem at all,her weight was 3.10 lbs,like Kelly said from 30 weeks they just hang around getting fat.
Hope all goes well.xx

Hi all. Glad I found you. Have just found out I'm pregnant with twins! Quite a shock as it doesn't run in my family. I have a weak cervix and lost my first at almost 22 weeks (but they didn't know why then) and my last was 17 weeks after having an unsuccessful emergency stitch at 16 weeks. I have been going to St Marys and was told at my last visit (pre positive test) that I'd have clexane and aspirin again from the moment I knew and then a stitch at 12-14 weeks. Does anyone know if that will be brought forward with it being more than one in there now? I'm going on Tuesday but am impatient. Does anyone know the odds of it going well with a multiple?

Hi mum in waiting. Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm sorry you need this thread but glad you found it. There's so many of us in where who have been through the stitch and all it's worries, or are going through it now.

I live overseas and a (now good) friend of mine found she was carrying twins after IVF. She had her stitch at around 15 weeks (like I did) and it was successful. She did deliver early (I think 31 weeks) and her two spent some time in the NICU, but they are perfect now.

The good thing in your case is that they've identified a problem. So many people are left to wait and see or just never diagnosed properly. If you're going in for the stitch the sooner the better. They may also give you progesterone less arises ( I was on 400 g a day) and steroid injections as you get further along.

Good luck! And please keep us updated. I know how utterly terrifying it was. Take heart in the many, many, beautiful success stories on this board.

Hi all,

Would also like to join in - think it will be helpful over next few weeks..

Had beautiful Dd 1 in 2010. I did not know it at the time but that delivery appeared to have resulted in significant cervical damage. Lost our little boy at 23 wks in 2012, then had another mc at 14 weeks in 2013.took a year to try again but fortunately got pregnant immediately.

Nearly 20 weeks now (can't believe it!), with 150mg aspirin, 5000 iu heparin and a modified shirodkar stitch since week 14 (st Mary's). Apparently one side of my cervix is "absent" due to damage, which I don't really understand. Anyway, they just about managed to get a stitch in place and things have gone well do far. Cervix is apparently totally closed.

I wasn't given any advice about resting, which seems a bit strange! Esp. When reading that other people are on bedrest (maybe its different if stitch is later or unplanned?). I'm not doing any exercise apart from routine walking. I guess it's best just to tune in to how u feel and rest if u feel tired.. But any advice welcome! Feeling a bit anxious over next few weeks and would like to be 25/26 wks along... Then 32/33!

Good luck to all the ladies here. Sorry I haven't read back yet.. Just wanted to say hi for now and look forward to hearing how people are getting on in coming weeks.. Fingers crossed for us all!!!

I'm having the shirodkar stitch at St Marys too TaytoCrisp. Did you have a spinal for it? I was totally knocked out for the surgery I had there in January and was as sick as a dog after. Was worried my poor Dad's car would get the brunt of it again this time!
When I had the emergency stitch at my local hospital last time they said take it easy for a couple of weeks which is annoyingly vague and I got them to clarify things like walking the dog. But as I said that one didn't work anyway. I was told that most places don't advocate total bed rest anymore because of the complications that can arise from it.
Did you stay in overnight? Are they monitoring you there still or have they handed you back to your local hospital since the stitch?
Sorry for so many questions but I don't have anyone to ask in my social circle, they all have uncomplicated 'perfect' pregnancies and see me as a worse case scenario (one friend actually said she felt she couldn't totally enjoy her pregnancy because she was aware of what could go wrong because of me).

muminwaiting, that's a horrible thing for your friend to say! You should thank her for the wonderful support
I'm going in for my stitch on Wednesday at Chelsea and westminster. I have been told it will be a day surgery and a spinal block, but I expect hospitals vary. After the stitch I am continuing my ante natal care at my local hospital (assuming they provide adequate monitoring...wait and see situ!).

I'm getting nervous!

There seems to be a real difference in opinion on bed rest. Most forum posts I read from America state that they have been put on bed rest, but the nhs don't advocate it at all. I've been told to carry on as normal the day after my stitch!

Mums waiting, what an awful thing to say! People with perfect pregnancies don't realise how bloody easy they have it, the least they could do is keep quiet!

I had virtually zero cervix so was v hard to get the stitch in apparently. Thankfully my consultant is a world expert on it.

I had general anaesthetic, was in and out in a day. I'm glad I did as the actual stitch took a lot longer than they had anticipated as my cervix so non existent. I don't react well to GA but rather that than being awake.

Yes the bed rest thing is mixed, common practice in USA, not in uk. I'm overseas and I was told no lifting, no exercise at all, not even swimming or yoga. No sex and I wasn't allowed to climax (sorry!) as it can stimulate your uterus and stress the stitch.

I had a scare at 24 weeks when the baby's head engaged and I was ordered onto bed rest for a week......I think everyone is different in terms of how much cervix they have and how much stress it can take.

I used to sit at work with my feet up on a chair next to my desk, was awkward and looked daft but consultant said it would help.

Definitely take it as easy as you can, the less pressure on your cervix (and mental state!) the better.

Muminwaiting - very best of luck with everything. It really must be very hard for you given your previous experiences of pregnancy. Congratulations on twins! I had a general for the stitch. It was fine, glad to be out for it; was a bit painful and queasy when i woke, but that only lasted about and hr (max). I was sitting up doing some work on my laptop and scoffing ham sandwiches soon after (not much else to do there really!). I was discharged that afternoon (in at 6.30, out at 5pm); and stayed locally. I live 5 hours away by train so chose not to travel until the next day (my local consultant thought that was a good idea). I am now having the rest of my care locally, and hope not to need to be in touch again with st mary's until i have some good news in autumn....(she says tentatively...). I do think they are excellent there though, you won't get better treatment anywhere (i may be biased of course as that's where i went). Very best of luck!

Good luck on Wednesday Beetling. Sounds like similar advice to what i got... hard to know really, i am trying to slow down a bit though (and no yoga/swimming/sex/exercise apart from walking)...

Kelly great reading your positive story! Very encouraging. Can i ask you how you knew the baby's head had engaged as 24 weeks? I'm really paranoid today that there is some engagement or movement downwards...Im feeling a good deal of lower abdomin pressure. Did you feel it, or did you know via a scan? Hopefully i am just doing excessive symptom monitoring.. no other signs for concern...

Staying somewhere afterwards sounds like a great idea. If I'm ill again after the general I won't want to be hopping on and off the tube and train to get home! Do you see prof Regan? When I voiced my worry over the stitch because the one at my local hospital went wrong she stared at me with her non nonsense steely gaze and said "MY stitches do NOT go wrong!" Her confidence gives me confidence and I hope I see her again tomorrow because I need a big confidence top up.
Just had a dose of reality email from someone I know through work. She emailed to say I shouldn't get my hopes up as she'd been in the same situation a couple of times (pregnant with twins but not weak cervix) and it ended badly. It felt a bit like a blow because despite knowing my terrible history everyone else I know are being really positive and hoping for the best. It's made me feel pretty down this afternoon. That coupled with graduating from feeling sick all the time to actually heaving means I am in desperate need of my DH to come home and hug me.

amuminwaiting - I just wrote a long message, but the screen froze, and I’ve lost it (grrr) - so just a briefer version.. that’s an atrocious and very unhelpful email to receive.. You have had more than your fair share of bad luck already, so things should turn around for you this time. And this time you have the appropriate intervention to be delivered by one of the best consultants in the country. There is no reason it won’t work this time now (people have twins successfully all the time!).

Yes, I have the same consultant as you and she is great. But you only have about 2 mins with her before and after the op., so make sure you have any questions ready. Also, make sure they give you a scan after. I never got one (the nurses were a bit confused about whether I should), then in the discharge letter Prof R stated I had had one. Anyway, it is very reassuring so be sure to get one so you can see all is well and the stitch is in.

We stayed in a hotel near the hospital after, and went out for a curry that evening – it was actually like being on hols strangely! Bit of a downer for a day or two after feeling a bit sorry for myself, and not feeling 100%. But all has been well since, and I will be 20 wks on wednesday. Roll on the weeks! So put your feet up and treat yourself now, you need to do nice relaxing things rather than worry about other people’s bad experiences! Good luck in London!

Stitch today hopefully. A bit nervous but also strangely detached. 13 weeks now so it really is time to do it... Just hope I'm doing the right thing. After 'just' one second trimester miscarriage my case isn't cut and dry... But with ivf every pregnancy is a blessing and I don't feel I can go through another cycle.

I am worried about the spinal block but dr friends have assured me it's fine. Not being able to eat or drink isn't going to be great for the nausea!

It's a strange thought that I'll be wide awake throughout... will I have to make small talk like at the hairdressers!?

Good luck today beetling! I still don't know if I needed my stitch (Alistair came at 40+2) but I'd much rather have been through it and have him rolling around in bed next to me now than have risked losing him.

I also had a spinal and had a big freak out and the anaesthetist did indeed sit next to me and make small talk. We discussed our cats I think! Hope all goes well for you.

amuminwaiting,sounds like you have some idiot friends/colleagues! It's very selfish to project your own fears and experiences onto other pregnant ladies like that and your colleague should say nothing if she can't suppress it! Sounds like you have a good plan in place and all going well so far.

In terms of exercise, the vagueness annoyed me too! I quit the gym but kept walking the dog, albeit slower than before. I think keeping active was really important for the birth and recovery in the end.

Kelly good to see you on here and hear that things are going well. Can you believe it's a year since we were discussing this and now the babies are so big! Hope all going well!

Best of luck to all of you, I'm so pleased the thread is still being used and might be helping a bit. Will keep checking in over the next few months!!

When I had the spinal I was really scared they'd do it wrong and I'd feel everything but they tapped my legs and I didn't feel a thing, then thought, right this is going to take ages and it was all over and I was being wheeled back to recovery. Very weird feeling. It took ages for one leg to come back to life.
Had to have another internal yesterday when I went to St Marys. I don't if it's because I've had so much damage down there but those things are really uncomfortable and she kept saying this doesn't hurt. I thought I'll be the judge of that! They found one strong heart beat and the other sac was 'inconclusive'. She scared me saying it could be a bleed. Then I waited two hours to be booked in for the suture at 13 weeks and that woman said "well it's not looking good. In all likelihood you'll reabsorb the second one or miscarry. If you bleed go to your local EPU". As matter of fact as that. As though what she was saying wasn't going to be scaring the life out of me. This morning I woke up and it was sore to pee and then I coughed and all the muscles under my pant line really hurt. I'm paranoid now that every twinge and stretch is the start of losing one or both of them.

don't know if it's because

beetling hope the stitch went ok today. I remember the anaesethist asking me my position on Scottish independence before I got knocked out! Hope the spinal was ok.

amum thinking of you. Hope you are ok... Sounds like a very tough day yesterday.

Good to hear this encouraging stories! Thank-you pizdets.

Hi everyone,
Whoa since my last post on the short cervix club, it's been a few new mothers sharing their stories which makes really good form of us Under Graduates mothers to share and take advice from everyone.
Iam currently 28 weeks pregnant and starting to get a bit more relaxed since I had my cervix stitched at 22 weeks pregnant in which they where measuring only 4mm.
Been discharge at 26 weeks pregnant from the Hospital as they say they do not need to see me anymore for cervix measurements every two weeks because since the op my cervix increased from 4 to 19mm.
I only have to see my local consultant and then hopefully she will give me the date to have my stitches removed.
All the best for new members Taytocrisp ,amumingwaiting& beetlingAbout, I'm sure you all be here next few months giving new mum's advices about this journey.
Xx

Hi everyone,
What a day!! Saw my consultant today and he reckons that my stitches should come out at 34 weeks,I am really panicking because I certainly would prefer to have the stitches until 36 to 37 Weeks if I get there obviously.
Hope everything went well for Amumnwaiting & TaytoCrisp.
xx

hello Piz! how lovely to hear from you and so glad all is well! this time last year we were counting the days and weeks (I'd only had my stitch a month) and it was such a scary time.

my DD is now 16 pounds of loveliness, can't believe the worry she put us through!

iola, why do they want to remove your stitch at 34 weeks? are they going to give you the steroid shots for the lungs?

hope everyone is bearing up ok. xxx

Hi Ladies,

Thank you for the support. I had my stitch on wednesday under a GA in the end. Seems there was a communication error.

The consultant said it was a success, and that if the reason for my last miscarriage was IC or ascending infection, he is confident we have those covered. He put in a Macdonald and an occlusion stitch. He did however say that my cervix was less than 2cm and opening with mucus plug coming out...so in the nick of time it seems and certainly not normal for 13 weeks. Due to the opening he said he was able to place the stitch really high, which i think is hopefully an upside!

Please can I ask for your advice? I am meeting the consultant at my local hospital for the first time tomorrow. What do I need to ask? So far I want to ask how often I will be scanned and swabbed / blood tests for infection (hopefully fortnightly?).

Thanks

Hi BeetlinAbout,
I am glad everything went well,I also had a Macdonald stitch at 22 weeks and I had to see my consultant week after the cerclage was done and after that every three weeks until they was happy that my cervix was closing up.Before the stitches my cervix was measuring 4mm then a week after the operation my stitches went up to 12mm,three weeks later to 19mm and they discharge me from Hospital appointments but to see my local consultant in which I only saw him yesterday and he said to make another appointment in 8 weeks time to have my stitches removed.
But everyone is different I been reading some of post messages and the mum,s been seeing their consultants in much regular basis.
I had my youngest child at 30 Weeks for apparently no reason,she was absolutely perfect and did not need any help with breathing just put some weight on.But I would prefer if this one stays a bit longer because my daughter had to stay in Hospital for 4 weeks.
How are you feeling at the moment, BeetlinAbout?
Hope all goes well and keep posted.
xx

Hi Kelly,
Nice to hear you lovely baby is 16 Pounds of loveliness,well after my posting regarding my consultant wanted to remove my stitches at 34 weeks,I phoned my Midwife and ask if I could have a Second opinion regarding this matter.
I had a phone call back almost straight away from my midwife stating that it was a error from my consultant and that he actually had me down to have my stitches removed at 36 weeks but a appointment with him at 34 weeks just to check everything is fine?
Weird but I will accept that,29 Weeks this Friday and counting down every day.
Using the loo all the time and a bit of pressure down below in which my midwife stated that is normal due to the number of babes I previously had.
But nothing can beat not having sex since 4 of April? When I first had the stitches I did not have time to think about sex,but now I am starting to relax a bit I am starting to miss it & also a lovely glass of white wine now the weather is getting hotter in England.
Anyway take care & speak to you soon.xx

Was told last week that my suture would be 30th June and got letter today saying 25th. Better sooner than later but my DH has booked the time off work so he will not be a happy bunny. I'm wondering what the point of waiting tow hours was for when the date wasn't even right! Grrr.
I'm getting nervous about the lack of communication and organisation there as I'm thinking I'll go in for a suture and come out minus a leg!
I need to be there at 1.30 so does that mean I will be staying in over night? When I have surgery in January I was there at 7.60am and didn't get out until 8pm.

Also, did any of you who had an early suture rather than an emergency one experience contractions afterwards?

Muminwaiting - i just had my stitch a week ago - a macdonald and an occlusion stitch. I was very crampy when I woke up from surgery and was given paracetamol through my IV (no pain relief given at all before this). After a few hours, once that had taken affect, it was just like a very bad period pain. I didn't have any contractions and a week later, i feel pretty much back to normal.

I went in at 10am, was called in for surgery at 12 and was sent home at 3pm with DH. Before this, i was originally meant to be there at 12, which would have meant an afternoon surgery like you, but they had to change it for some reason. I think you will certainly be in and out on the same day if all goes well.