Any midwives on here? - stretched cervix?

[missrose0110]

Hi,

( I gave birth 15 months ago)

So I just had my first smear (which I was so nervous for but turned out wasn't too bad at all) and the nurse said you can tell I've given birth as my cervix hasn't returned to normal and is "showing signs it has been stretched" I asked if it was common and she said "not really" but she didn't seem worried at all, so I just said okay and left.

I'm now worrying that my cervix is damaged and will be an issue in future pregnancies. Can anyone advise what she may have meant please? I'm now worrying if I get pregnant again the baby will fall out 😭

(someone reassure me I'm being silly please)

• will possibly call the surgery tomorrow when it reopens to talk to her

Thanks in advance.

So I’m pregnant with my second and due to be induced (again) and apparently if you’ve had a baby once, quite often your cervix doesn’t fully close but remains open a cm or two. I am very much hoping this is me because it means they can break my waters and set the drip rather than mucking about with pessaries and Cook balloons.
So maybe she just meant your cervix was 1-2cm open after your first baby?

@FudgeSundae ahh maybe that's what she meant! It makes sense I suppose. Maybe we will get easier labours next time round? Haha just maybe 😂

Good luck with your induction, I had the balloon and the pessary too and found the balloon the most painful thing ever 😭 I told my fiancé if we ever have another, I'd flat out refuse the ballon!

When I was a student nurse I assisted with quite a few smears at the GP practice, there was a difference in the cervix of women who had given birth and those who hadn't. Those who hadn't the cervix opening was like a small dot, those who had given birth the cervix opening was a line due to being stretched. Thats possibly what she meant?

I can’t say what your nurse found but generally speaking it’s very common for women who’ve given birth vaginally for their cervix to retain some degree of stretch, ie have lost some of its elasticity.

It’s called a multip’s os if that helps.

I think these kind of comments with no follow-up from HCPs are really unhelpful!

Daft question - do you actually have to have given birth vaginally for this change to happen to your cervix? What if you had an emcs after almost fully dilating? Would that have any lasting effect on your cervix?
Just interested to know!

No it could also occur if you got to fully dilated but then had a section. It’s the stretching itself, like any body structure that gets stretched and loses elasticity :)

But that’s just a very generic answer, every woman will be different :)

it’s normal

Hi

Has anyone been for a smear test to be told they can’t do it as the cervical os has closed over?
I have never heard of this and my last smear 3 years ago was fine. I have had 2 children. I’m having normal periods etc.. Feeling really anxious and scared and any help/advice would be great x