Ladies who have experienced cervical ectropian/erosion! Advice please!

[MLP123]

Hi All, I’m 14 weeks tomorrow and seem to get spotting usually after using the loo (sorry TMI). It doesn’t happen all the time, but I’ve had a few episodes now and it only lasts when wiping and then it’s gone, I have no pain and it’s light pink/ very pale brown. I’ve also experienced a MC before so I know what this is like. I’ve been scanned a few time’s and everything has been fine every time. I have been told in the past (before this pregnancy) that I have a cervical ectropian, so when I rang the GP Wednesday to report more spotting she wasn’t concerned and didn’t refer me to the EPAU. I did ask that maybe someone could examine me to check if I still have the ectropian, but she wasn’t keen to do this. Last time I visited the EPAU I was told to report every episode, however I cannot call my unit directly and have to be referred by my GP/midwife. I’m also rhesus neg and had a jab 2 weeks ago for the same thing.
I guess what I’m asking is has anyone experienced an ectropian/erosion and had similar symptoms? If so how far into pregnancy did it last? Does it get worse the further along you are?

Call your midwife. They shouldn’t just assume that bleeding is caused by a known issue, they should check. I’ve experienced this sort of attitude a lot because I have endometriosis so any abdominal pain is immediately attributed to that which is dangerous.

I’ve had a few cervical erosions and my sister has had absolutely loads. Hormonal changes in pregnancy along with increased blood volume means that things such as erosions bleed more, as do gums etc. This is what I was told anyway!

I would definitely go to your midwife and ask for a referral to EPAU

Thanks for your advice @sinkgirl I did try to speak to my midwife first but her phone was off and the answer phone says not to leave msgs! I then left things because the spotting had stopped again! Assuming everything stays ok over the weekend I’ll ring her Monday. Do you mind me asking if the cervical erosion spotting lasted on and off for your whole pregnancy? I had a failed IVF earlier this year and they think the hormones I was given caused it, I was going to look at getting it sorted before trying again and then fell pregnant naturally!

I had bits of spotting throughout but nothing severe. I had twins so higher hormone levels which may have been a factor.

Hope you can get hold of your midwife. Get seen sooner if it gets heavier obviously, but try not to worry

I've got this. I'm 36 weeks now and first had some spotting at about 30 weeks, which really scared me. I went into the antenatal assessment unit, they tracked the baby's heartbeat and examined me internally, and said the baby seemed fine and that my cervix was closed and they could see something that looked like an ectropion. I think they were trying to make sure I wasn't having a placental abruption which would have been much more serious.

I've had probably 7 or 8 episodes of light bleeding again since then, and I normally ring the antenatal assessment and they tell me just to keep an eye on it and check the baby is moving and call back in an hour if bleeding is ongoing. It has never lasted an hour so far.

I'm rh+ but I think they've said if I was rh- I'd need an injection.

You can't ring the antenatal assessment unit here until you're more than 20 weeks, but I would have thought there should be an equivalent procedure if you are less far along.

Hi @89redballoons thanks for commenting. Mine also doesn’t ever last more than an hour, it literally lasts for that moment and then stops. Unfortunately here you cannot contact maternity triage until 18 weeks and before that it’s either contact your GP or midwife (don’t think my midwife works many hours - as so far I’ve never managed to make contact with her). The GP didn’t refer me this time, as I had anti-d a fortnight ago and she obv thinks it’s just the ectropian from symptoms I’ve explained! I cannot feel the baby moving yet either so I can’t go by movements. I don’t have pain and it’s not ongoing so I’m hopeful it’s just the ectropian. It’s so annoying tho when I can’t contact EPAU directly just for some reassurance at least.

Hi OP, i have this although didn't know until i had some spotting and midwives advised a speculum exam at my antenatal clinic. The Dr said i had cervical ectropian which made my cervix easilly irritated, he said on this occasion it was thrush which had irritated it and caused the spotting. He did also say that bowl movements, sex and recurrent thrush can cause episodes of spotting with cervical ectropian, and all 3 have in my case from about 20 weeks onwards, although only small amounts and not particularly frequently. I wouldnt say its got worse as the pregnancy progressed, and as it was never bright red i can't say i was particularly concerned after the first time. Im now 36 weeks and pregnancy has been otherwise uneventful.

Hi @TalkingIntoTheEther thanks for commenting. That’s reassuring to hear. I’ve got a feeling this will continue to happen to me on and off throughout this pregnancy. Bowel movements and sex definitely seem to be a trigger, I haven’t had any thrush symptoms, but I’ll keep this in mind also, as I know if it’s high up I may not get symptoms?!

oh i didn't know that about thrush symptoms, mine was confirmed because they took swabs as well as the (very uncomfortable!) speculum exam. If you have an exam they will probably take swabs at the same time which will give you some clarity.

When i saw the Dr at teh antinatal clinic they gave me very specific advice for treatment (for the thrush, not the ectropian) and it was really difficult getting the GP to follow it through, and like you i couldnt ring the unit directly so was stuck in a bit of a battle with the GPs. Its really frustrating when services are so fragmented, are you able to ring the out of hours midwives tomorrow to report spotting and request a referral? i have found the midwives are better at navigating the care pathways than GPs who seem to be less involved with maternity care generally.