To cerclage or not to cerclage?

[strangerjo]

I hope someone can help. I had a private scan at 17 wk which measured my cervical length at 42mm and was told "no need to get this checked again, it's good". Now at just 20 wks the hospital did a check and said it's 24mm and I need the cervical stitch asap. Another scan today confirmed 24mm and no funnelling. I've sought various expert opinions but am none the wiser.

So I'm keen to know other people's experiences and thoughts. Also, what restrictions did people have after? e.g did people have bed rest? Sex avoidance? Did you have to abstain from exercise and kegels? Did you have other treatments (progesterone etc.)?

I don't want a premature birth but also I have had back and hip problems and not being able to exercise would be a problem for me...but I want to do the right thing. Any advice or opinions would be greatly welcomed.

I avoided the stitch. I was 24mm at 24 weeks. Consultant said that if It had shortened further they would have done it but would have admitted me to hospital for the remainder of my pregnancy due to it possibly aggravating the membranes. I rested where possible, had 3 x 400mg progesterone pessaries daily and was signed off at 32 weeks to rest properly. I went to 40+5.

I had to stop going to the gym, consultant suggested swimming for exercise and had to abstain from sex until I reached 36 weeks.

I've had two. First cerclage pregnancy went to 40 weeks and now at 36 weeks in the second. I was told not to be too vigorous but did yoga throughout the first pregnancy and have been pretty active walking dog daily etc during both. Ironically I was told not to swim due to the infection risk - the worst thing about the cerclage is the utter lack of bloody consistency from hospital to hospital!

We've been holding off on penetrative sex for the most part, my consultant couldn't give a clear answer but advised that if we do, condoms can reduce the risk of infection. Never heard anything about abstaining from kegels (and should have done more than I did/do!). I had progesterone for about a week after the second stitch but nothing else.

My feeling is that I'm pleased to have had the cerclages. I am 'lucky' in that I've not lost a child to incompetent cervix in order to have mine and it has been picked up by good consultants before it became an issue.

Hope that helps! Don't regret having either myself but it's a big decision to make!

Thank you both!

Pizdets - how long was your cervix and how many weeks along were you?

I was a bit shocked by the 42mm to 24mm change in two weeks.

I'm sorry for youJo this whole thing is a nasty shock and I do feel the NHS deals with it badly through total inconsistency!!
I was 2.4cm at 12 weeks with DC1, can't remember with DC2 but short enough that they thought it worth soon again. Both stitches were preventative so went in about 14 weeks.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. If you search back there have been a couple of fairly meaty threads on this - one I started called 'the short cervix club' when I first had the stitch 2.5 years ago and another one earlier this year in the pregnancy topic, although I'm afraid I can't remember what it was called. Will try and find a link for you...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/2398642-Cervical-stitch-experiences?msgid=57055844 There you go!