Incompetent cervix after one natural birth- colonoscopy for £1k?

[caramelgirl]

I hope that it's okay posting here.
I am looking for advice and hoping that some of you might feel able to share any similar experience with me.

Had my dd a year ago. Want to start ttc #2. Was v lucky, had healthy pregnancy and active birth in pool (90 minutes from 6cm dilation when arrived at birth centre to delivery).

Went for coil fitting at 6 weeks and doctor laughed and called her colleague over- apparently I was still 10cm dilated. She told me not to bother silly head about it, but I went to my doctor and had specialist referral when dd was 5 months.

He said nothing wrong, it wasn't massively dilated by then, was healthy but that it looked unusual.

Went to have iud removed last week and nurse called doctor in as cervix looked soft. Doctor asked if I had history of mcs- no, just 1 chemical pregnancy. Said on the "soft" side of normal and to ask doctor if I was concerned.

Doctor won't refer me, says is healthy, not to worry. I can request regular cervix checks in case need cerclage stitch in. But I have a friend whose cousin had incompetent cervix and lost her baby at 20 weeks. I am really scared.

So, do you think that a colonoscopy (where I think they put something on the cervix to make defects stand out and then look at it with high power microscope) is worth £1k? I can use savings to pay privately. DH says no, I am genuinely not sure.

Would be grateful for advice. Thanks (and sorry for long long post)

I lost a baby at 20 weeks (had had normal full term births in the past) and was monitored in the next pregnancy. I was diagnosed with incompetent cervix at 20-21 weeks and given an emergency stitch. My son was born full term with no problems thank goodness. I had scans from 16 weeks which is when IC usually starts. I am not sure about the colonoscopy, don't know much about it, they never offered it to me. They rarely diagnose IC unless you have at least one mid term loss with painless contractions. If you are followed up closely there is every chance things will be fine. Good luck.

Sorry, just noticed this as my cervix is the opposite (cervical stenosis, too tight). I think you mean a colposcopy, a colonoscopy is your bottom.

Thank both you very very much for sharing your experiences (and medical terminology,[hblush]). Very sorry to hear of your loss jellybeans and very glad to hear your ds born safely. I think I will just nag for close monitoring then.

Jbeans - did they actually diagnose you with IC at the time of your mc? And how many previous pgs had you carried to term? Just that I lost my last baby at 18 weeks and with my previous DD went to 40+10 and she was a big baby so it doesn't make sense. Noone seems to know why I lost him although they have mentioned IC as a maybe. Just that I thought if you were going to have IC you had it from baby no 1 not after you'd had a few. Unless you;ve had trauma to your cervix subsequently.

I'm terrified of any future pregnancy although they will monitor me.

Caramel - I think a colposcopy is a check for precancerous stuff - don't think it can show IC as such. From what I've gathered IC can only be diagnosed by measuring your cervix while pg -which is a tad scarey.

HAving said that I'd make a fuss and insist on referral just to be on the safe side- would hate anyone to go through what I've been through....If your GP refuses go to another one.

Hi

I also have an incompetent cervix, diagnosed after two second trimester losses (18 and 19 weeks).

You can have a very simple cervical scan done relatively early in pregnancy - if there is a problem they will insert a stitch at around 12 weeks.

I really wouldn't worry too much at this stage, as jellybeans says with close monitoring you will be fine - but do insist on them doing a check when you do become pregnant, don't let them fob you off. The sad fact is they will only often do this check after two late losses and that is something no woman should have to go through when this condition is relatively easy to diagnose.

Xx

Hobbit - have you had any prrevious or subsequent successful pregnancies?

Hi peanuthead, I am very sorry for your loss. I had already had 3 full term births and another late loss at 23 weeks (she sadly had a lethal genetic condition). I was over 38 weeks with all those, one was twins and one was a very big baby.

I did have a history of traumatic births including 2 sections after failed suction and a D&C after early miscarriage. Nothing, though, that they thought was obvious. They actually said it was an infection that caused it on the post mortem report. I also had blood clotting antibodies so it could have been that (although there were no signs to show this such as small placenta, small for size etc). The report stated that losses like this often repeat so i was terrified.

However, the next pregnancy showed thinning and funneling of the cervix at the exact same stage of around 20 weeks. Without the stitch it was pretty certain I would have miscarried about 21-22 weeks. It was only then (in my subsequent pregnancy when showing signs of IC at the scan) that they diagnosed me with IC. The emergency stitch went well but it was a very scary time.

I think often if you have a history of full term births they don't always suspect IC. that's what the consultant said to me aswell. However, the cervical specialist i was scanned with said that my signs fitted perfectly with no contractions etc.

Hobbit I am so very sorry for your losses. i found my second loss made me feel so much more isolated and hopeless. I was very lucky to have other DC but it was still horrid.

Wishing you both very much good luck for the future x

Thanks again and sorry for your losses Hobbit and Peanuthead. I will save my money for the cervical scans if I manage to get pg again. We only have one doctor allowed to refer for "ladies issues" and she likes to try to diagnose everything herself- sigh.

Best of luck to all of you and thank you for taking the time to share and advise. Feel alot clearer in my head now. x

hi, personally, having been through the utter devastation of recurrent miscarriage (fortunately my losses were first trimester) i would not leave something like this to chance and would save up the money to have every check going. losing a pregnancy at 20 weeks doesn't bear thinking about.

Thanks Jbeans - it's horrible when you just don't know the reason. After DD I had a termination at 18 weeks due to a fatal heart condition but that was a normal delivery. And obviously he was tiny.

The late mc baby also had major abnormalities but they weren't ones you'd terminate for and they say that didn't cause the mc. I also had a urinary tract infection which may have caused it. I wasn't having contractions as far as I'm aware - just had a show and when I got to hospital my cervix was open and my membranes bulging. What's really confusing is that once my waters broke my cervix closed up really tight again and they had to induce me - effectively a second termination.

Caramel - I wouldn't bother with spending your money on the colposcopy but I would insist on cervical monitoring once you're pg.

peanuthead, I agree not knowing why you lost a baby is horrid. I was gutted that the DD we lost to preterm birth was totally healthy as it seemed senseless. I needed a reason, instead I just felt it was my body letting down a perfectly healthy baby..

Your situation sounds very very simelar to what happened to me. I also presented with bulging membranes etc and the actual birth wasn't straightforward surprisingly even with an open cervix. It is such a difficult loss.

I would insist on a referral - Doctor can't refuse to if there's a problem as she is a generalist and not a consultant - tell her you need another opinion and she is leaving you stressed - see another doctor and ask for a referral

I think a colonoscopy is just a big microscope though - it's not an operation to treat the cervix just a procedure to examine it

Hi peanuthead,

So sorry for you loss - my son was at 18 weeks too and I know the pain is unbearable. Like jellybeans I wasn't diagnosed until it was obvious i had a problem i had bulging membranes and an emergency stitch but unfortunately it was too late.

No successful pregnancies yet but at 10 weeks pg now. Stitch will be put in at 12 weeks then I'm putting myself on bed rest for the later part of the pregnancy just to be on the safeside.

I'm hopeful but absolutely terrified too!