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

I'm sorry the result wasn't better Tayoto but as you say its not the most accurate test and the booklet says a quarter of all babies born with downs are not picked up on the nuchal. The more DH and I discuss it though the more we know we wouldn't have the amnio even if our number was low. Unless they pick up something later on to show the baby just couldn't survive then this little one is ours and will stay that way (God willing). I couldn't have the combined test done. Bubs was in the wrong position and after 10-15 minutes of the woman painfully pushing on my stomach I was wincing in pain and she said "I'd better stop it's uncomfortable for you". She also didn't know what to do about the bloods as one dead twin was going to affect the results. She was on the phone trying to work it out with someone else. Anyway, I explained my pains and worry that my cervix wouldn't hold until 30th but she said she hadn't been asked to do a cervical length check so that was that. I was then sent for bloods but given no paperwork so they sent me back and I saw a midwife who took pity on me and called around for about two hours and got me a scan for tomorrow to check my cervix, then another on Sunday to try and measure my bouncy baby again. The swab and urine sample were clear so despite still having pain every time my bladder fills and every time I pee there seems nothing can be done for that. Pregnancy is NOT fun.

Hi everyone,
TaytoCrisp so pleased for you well & 25 Weeks gone & as I mention before each week after 24 weeks was a bonus for me,I am only 3 Weeks away to until the removal of my stitches.I been having lots & lots pains under my ribs cage and feeling really sore although when searching online about the pain on my ribs they say its very common.
TaytoCrisp I believe I had a slightly itchy around the cervix area few weeks ago for few days and them disappear complety.So I don,t know if is the stitches healing or just itchiness.
Speak to you soon.xx

I need some advice. I have a suture date of 30th and had my cervical length checked Friday and all good so far. I am calling (or trying to as they are TERRIBLE at answering the phone) St Marys today for my pre assessment over the phone but I was told I'd have a letter explaining the suture and importantly with a time! That was supposed to be here two weeks before the op. I asked repeatedly and smiled about it but still no letter. I'm so fed up of St Marys never responding. My local hospital has been brilliant this time and I wish they did the shirodkar there but I'm reliant on St Marys. If I can just get this stitch done and dusted then they'll hand me back to my local hospital anyway. I had to go through PALS twice just to get appointment dates because the RMC wouldn't pick up the phone or resound to emails. I don't want to do it again but don't know what else to do.

emailed, not smiled! Stupid mac.

Which reminds me, in an email where I said I had lots of cervical mucus it out cervical music! Yeah, thanks mac, you twat (pardon the pun)

How frustrating! I don't know the St Mary's system I'm afraid. But in my area, I either phone the clinic or I call the consultant's secretary. Last time I had a stitch, the secretary was amazing at passing on messages and getting back to me with a reply. I imagine you have already tried that though. Keep persisting though! Good luck.

Hi all, just read this thread from start to finish. I originally posted on here about a year ago under the name youaintallthat.

Its brilliant to read all the happy endings congratulations all.

Good luck to the ladies who are pregnant at the moment. It's so difficult when you have a complicated pregnancy. You feel like you're holding your breath for 9 months solid. Its a long time to be anxious and stressed and it feels like every insensitive person in the world is in contact with you some days.

I felt like I was existing scan to scan during my pregnancy. I lived by goal posts 12 weeks earliest I could have scan and stitch, 24 weeks,.the earliest a hospital will intervene. 28 weeks - surfactant in lungs. 32 weeks functioning kidneys etc. I couldn't believe it when I hit 38 weeks saw my consultant and he showed me a calander and told me to pick which day I wanted to have dd (by elcs) crazy surreal moment.

I never said in my original posts as to be honest I felt like I couldn't discuss it at the time in between my first delivery with ds (where negligent treatment left me with incompetent cervix) and my pregnancy last year. I also had a quite a late miscarriage.

I just couldn't even think about it when I was pregnant last time and didn't want to discuss it. It happened on Christmas Day.

I had 3 life changing Christmas' in a row.
Christmas day 2011 I gave birth to my baby boy.
Christmas Day 2012 I lost my baby.
Christmas day 2013 I spent it with my beautiful baby boy celebrating his second birthday, remembering where we were a year before and celebrating first Christmas with my 4 week old baby girl, who I was pregnant with when I first joined this thread.

She is perfect in every way. I had her at 39weeks by elcs, had the stitch out during the c section. She was 5lbs 7oz. We were warned to expect a sleepy baby, who might need 'a bit of help' with the paeds team there. (they suspected rhesus problems due to my blood type and hers.)
What we got was a 5lbs ninja

She literally screamed the place down, to the point they asked if they could give her a dummy as they couldn't concentrate

Six months on she has the makings of a very bossy little sister who has us all wrapped around her little finger.

Once again my birth didnt go to plan. Everyone had under estimated just how much the previous hospital had messed up when they delivered my dc1. My uterus ruptured during the C Section and I needed resus. I escaped a hysterectomy by the skin of my teeth. My 45minute c section lasted 7 hours I was awake most of the time.
I was so scared but then after 6.5 hours the surgeon asked one of the nurses to order him a chippy tea and I knew that things were finally going well. no one in their right minds would order a chippy tea if they thought I was critical

We can't have any more children now due to my uterus rupturing, (we must be mad we originally wanted 4-5 ) but We know how blessed we are to have the two we have.

I'll keep this thread on my watch list so I can congratulate all you ladies on your babies when they arrive. Good luck ladies. You will be the ones on here in a few months holding your babies and advising the pregnant gals.

I am thinking of you all grads and undergrads on this journey and so thankful for the support I got when I first posted on Here.

Scarletoconnor what a journey you had,I did read your thread from the beginning specially with your Employer.
Its nice that mums that already graduate this site do come back and give us a lots of encouragement, Scarletoconnor lovely about your daughter been so healthy and active.
I am 34 Weeks this week and feeling the days dragging but really happy in making this far until now,I am will be seeing my consultant in less then a week to have a date to my sutures removed.
Just a question,one of the mums from my children school had a elective C.section at 37 weeks 10 days ago and said they gave her steroids injection a day before as she stated that everyone will have one until 39 weeks of pregnancy. Is that true?
Hope everyone is fine and speak soon.
xx

Hi Iolaway, well done for reaching 34 weeks! I long for that day! I am just 21 weeks at the mo and have a cervix that is borderline length and may or may not need a stitch. Its unnerving not knowing if it'll hold up on its own or whether a stitch will be needed.

To answer your question, no I don't think that is true. Sounds very unusual at 37 weeks. I was 38 weeks when I had my twins and there was not a single mention of steroids. Besides, 37 weeks is officially "term" and the lungs have developed by 34 weeks.

Good luck with the stitch removal and the next few weeks!

chocmuffin1,
Thank very much for your comment relating my question & also to be honesty my consultant only decided to have my cervix stitched when I was exactly 22 Weeks and it was a decision made in a hour.
Prior to that,I have been seeing a consultant to have my cervix measured every two weeks from 16 weeks of pregnancy and it was always maybe,maybe not.
take care and hope everything goes well with your pregnancy.xx

Iolaway, what was your cervix length when he decided to put the stitch in, and what had it been up to that point? Mine was 33mm at the last scan and likely to shorten I suspect.

I've just been reading this thread and it's lovely to hear about your success stories.

I have a question if you don't mind. I have had two successful pregnancies in the past. I'm currently 13 weeks pregnant again but i had to have an erpc back in January and i'm so anxious that this my have caused damage to my cervix. I've recently started feeling a kind of pressure in my vagina when going to the toilet and just generally feel quite heavy down there. I've also been having jelly-like discharge. My mw is unconcerned but that doesn't put my mind at rest at all.

Having gone through it, does it sound like anything you experienced?

I am a natural born worrier and can get something in my head and Google until i'm convinced I've got it.

All opinions are welcome and i'm sorry for hijacking your thread.

I had the same pressure and discharge at 12 weeks Allyouneed. I was convinced my cervix was giving way already but had it measured and t was slightly above average length for the time so very relieved. Because of my history though I'm still having the suture tomorrow. VERY nervous. Can't wait for it to be over!

Thanks for your reply aMum. So what i'm experiencing could just be normal? I think i'm super tuned in to every little feeling which doesn't help.

Good luck for your sutre Hopefully once it's in you'll be able to relax and enjoy your pregnancy x

Hi Chocmuffin1,
Really sorry for the very late reply I had a really stressful and busy weekend as I had to organized a Baby Shower party for 30 guests,
But yes regarding your question,When I first had my cervix measured I was 24mm at 18 weeks then went down to 15mm at 20 Weeks and when my Consultant decided to have my cervix stitched I was 4mm at 22 weeks.
How weeks are you know?
take care & speak soon xx

Hi everyone,
Been seeing my consultant yesterday & he book me to have my stitches out next Friday the 11th of July.
I have to be at Hospital at 7 am & also advised that things could go very quickly once they removed my stitches,but 2 days prior to that I have to take steroids injections on the 8th & 9th of July.
Sounds really silly but I was hoping in having them removed more towards the 18th of July when I will be 37 weeks and my kids nearly finish the School.
My husband said I been silly because back in April I would give anything to reach the 24 Plus Week mark & now I am thinking about our older children been on School Holiday.
He is right,but I have been through so much no knowing how far I would get on this preganancy that I feel like controlling a little bit now so near the end.
Can anyone help me with this question?

Have anyone been offered the GBS Test(Group B streptococcus in pregnancy)?
Because until now my Midwife have not mention at all regarding this test,also about the whooping Cough Vaccine?
Take care everyone & I will be in touch.
xx

Just got home from having the shirodkar stitch. Feeling very sore but my baby is doing well.

Oh aMum that,s fantasti news,Well done finally the day came & now you will feel a bit more relaxed with stitches done.
Like said before I only start to feel better without much pain 3 weeks after having the procedure done.
xx

Did you have quite a bit of bleeding? It's eased off since yesterday but feels like my insides will fall out when I stand.

Hi aMum,yes I did bleed for a bit while I was at Hospital for two days & I think a tiny bit after been home.
Oh my gosh yes totally, it was so painful that it was times I though the same as you that my insides would fall out.
Some mum,s say they was fine after a week,but with me it was about three Weeks.
If you can take paracetamol and a nice shower seating down in a plastic chair and lay down in bed,I know sounds silly but it really help me.
Take care & soon you will be feeling much,much better.
xx

Thank you. I was feeling ok when I got home, had a bath and a nap, then felt like there was air trapped in my ribs and tried to burp (nice I know) and was really sick instead. Am going to have an early night. Pregnancy isn't fun at the best of times but as my Aunt in Canada just said on Skype I never do things the easy way!

I'm still getting some bleeding and soreness. It all feels very swollen down there. Everything I've read people stop bleeding after a few days.

iola can't believe your stitch is coming out so soon!

i was just like you - when i went into premature labour at 34 weeks and they thought i'd have to have a c-section i was refusing and horrified - i couldn't bear the loss of control. but as you say, there was a time when i wasn't gongto make it past 24 weeks!

i think it's natural to cling to anything you can plan and control. in the end i hung on until 36 weeks and then DD had to come out!

the steroid shots are a great idea - as you probably remember my little one (4 pounds!) was tiny but perfect and no breathing problems, because i had the steroid injections.

stay strong everyone. it's a hideously tough time but you will get through it.

Hi kelly, Yes I am having the stitches out this Friday when I will be 36 Weeks but hopefully I will be another week or two weeks before buba decides to do the entrace.
Saying that all last week and this week I barely sleep a wink,been using the toilet every hour during the night,so actually anytime next week would be nice.
Amum, I was so sore for weeks after having the stitches done that I though something was wrong with me.
But like I said before each person is different,some of the mums that had the same procedure where back on their feet and working after a week.
You be fine, it's so boring and annoying but laying in bed as much as you can it really helps.
Take care xx

Good luck on Friday iola - you are nearly there now - fantastic. I was looking at various articles about how long baby stays in after the stitch has been removed, and about 11 days seems average - obviously some come before then and some after, so hopefully you will have a bit more time and make it up to 38 in any case. What type of delivery are you planning?

I'm a bit confused as my local consultant wrote in my notes that the plan is to have stitch out 39 weeks - which seems very late according to other peoples experiences and the general rcog guidance. Maybe he made a mistake . I will need to ask him to clarify - I hope he has a good deal of experience with this!! I got the stitch in st Mary's but am now reliant locally for rest öf care ( live 5 hours from London).

amum great you have the stitch but sorry you have not been feeling well since. I had a modified shirodkar too. Had bleeding for a few days but it was fairly light. Did get a little extra bleed about a week or two later which was very worrying at the time, but nothing to worry about since. Took one day off work as I prefer the distraction! Hope ur feeling better soon.