Incompetent cervix help

[Starlive23]

God, where to start. I am 22 weeks pregnant and went for a private scan.
The lady doing the scan said my cervix was short and funneling and that it was likely I would go into labour very soon and told me to go to hospital, which I did.
At the hospital they scanned me and said cervix looked fine and not to trust people ate scans as they are not regulated properly etc
Got out of hospital very relieved to the last from private scan ringing me saying she was really worried they had not scanned me correctly and that she wasnt going to be able to sleep tonight with worry as I'd not been scanned correctly at hospital which can make cervix look substantially less worrying, and that she was worried I wouldn't make it passed the end of the week and I could lose the pregnancy.

I cant work out how two people have come fo such different conclusions, I want to trust hospital but the lady from private a a was so absolutely genuinely worried I just dont know how to feel about it. I am really terrified hospital have got it wrong and this lady is right ans I'm going to lose the baby.

God I'm just so worried does anyone have any advice at all?

I would ring the hospital back and ask to be rescanned and explain that the private sonographer has rang u to check in and has made u extremely worried and just explain what u wrote there. Don’t let them tell u no. U have the right to a scan
I the meantime rest, no over doing it, hot baths or sex until they scan u again. Even to put ur mind at rest

Incompetent cervix is widely misunderstood and trivialised by many unfortunately.

I had a loss at 21+3 and my subsequent pregnancy was extremely difficult with trying to fight for extra scans and care - I was right to be concerned I only got to 24 weeks (DD is doing well despite the rocky start).

Highly recommend that you join the Incompetent Cervix UK group on Facebook. It’s a private group full of other ladies that have experienced similar issues and can give you incredibly useful advice. Also depending on where you are in the country, they can give you details of a specialist consultant in your area. Midwives and sonographers do not generally encounter IC and therefore don’t escalate issues correctly. I don’t want to scare you but you really do need to find out if there is an issue with your cervix.

Please do contact the group - I’m convinced my DD wouldn’t be here without them.

I don’t know if the ‘short cervix club’ on Mumsnet is still going but I remember lots of useful advice on there.

I had a private scan due to concern over bleeding. Was told I had placenta previa. Went to hospital 3 days later was told I had no such condition and theres been nothing ever since to say I do. Ring the hospital again get another scan, hopefully by a different doctor so you have another opinion. I have heard horror stories about private clinocs honestly, but I wouldnt want to completely disregard everything want she has said.

I called the hospital back, they just said because i have been scanned and it looked fine I wont be able to come back in and see someone. I mentioned that lady from scan called back and has promised to send me the pictures from today and that I dont think I was scanned correctly but the lady I spoke to at labour triage just said to come back if my waters break or I have contractions.

I feel lost, I haven't slept all night I feel like I'm in a nightmare. That I work up today happy and pregnant and now I feel like I'm going to lose him and the hospital cant do anything further. I just feel beyond helpless.

I've been awake all night I feel like my head is spinning, I've never felt so lonely in my life as i have today. I really hope the lasy is wrong from the scan but she knew her stuff it sounded like. I just feel like the little boy I've been praying for is going to be take away from me. Sorry to keep going on, i dont know what else to do. I am so scared and feel so pathetic and helpless.

Oh my love, go to a different hospital. A big hospital like addenbrookes or guys and st Thomas not a local hospital.
I had my last baby at 28 weeks due to undiagnosed ic this time I have a stitch in. How short did she say it was ? And did the hospital do a transvaginal scan ? Or abdominal one ?

Join incompetent cervix uk pregnancy related, lady on their will be able to help.

@boymum88 oh I'd love to but I'm in rural Wales I'm nowhere near a big hospital. None of them told me the length, but scan lady said it was the funnelling that worried her.
I had transabdoninal scans in both and full bladder which the scan lady said can make funnelling which might ne why it seemed really bad in one scan and not in the other.

It's shocking that either took measurements, and I feel the hospital should have done at tv ultrasound as it gets a far better picture and can get proper measurements. If it is the case and ur cervix is short and funnelling you only have up 2 24 weeks to get a stitch in place. I know some of the lady's are in Wales in the fb group and travel to see a specialist, I don't want to scare you but if I was u I would get someone to drive u to a bigger hospital, yes maybe for nothing and a day out of ur life but if they do find u have ic and can prevent a per term birth or treat a 22 weeker if the worst happen.
I just looked at lady's from Wales go see a mr Simpson in Leeds as he's a ic specialist

Could you go for another private scan? Ask for a vaginal scan too, in order to get a clearer picture. If it was caused by the full bladder then the next private scan would show all is well.

I'm back at hospital with private scan pics and said I will wait to see doctor, I'm not going to risk it even though I'm being seen as a nuisance now I need to be sure.

Good for u stand up for urself and ur baby, I would make them do a tv ultrasound and take measurement, it will cause no harm to do it xx
Keep us posted

You're absolutely doing the right thing. I hope they scan you again and fully check out your cervix. It cost very little to put a stitch in and save heartache.

Good for u. Keep us updated

Nobody will scan me today, but have told me to come back in 2 weeks time for a further scan with a pre term birth doctor so that's something.
The doctor I spoke to told me that the cervix doesn't just open without contractions and that it was closed at least from speculum exam. Have booked another private scan for Wednesday just to be on safe side. It seems like she is taking it much more seriously than hospital but a referral is at least something good. Hopefully to a more understanding doctor.

So sorry to hear what you are going through!

You've done the right thing to be so proactive. Definitely try to go to another hospital (if possible) and insist they do an intravaginal scan.

The doctor is completely wrong to tell you the cervix doesn't open without contractions - you do NOT have to have contractions or any noticeable symptoms for your cervix to be thinning/funnelling. I have had a cervical stitch put in after my cervix measured 12-16mm with funnelling and thought everything was fine until they luckily spotted it at my 20 week scan.

Hope you get seen to quickly!

That dr is wrong that is the thing with incompetent cervix, it's just opens without any signs of labour. I had my boy at 28 weeks, was off on a Baby moon to Italy.
off we got to airport felt fine nothing out of the blue, once up in the air notice some spotting thought oh poo maybe I've over done it, Will be told just to rest, once on the ground thought will nip to a local hospital to be checked.
Get checked and I'm 5cm with the sac protruding, no contractions at all, this is happing at say 1.30 had him at 6.30, only had contractions about an hour before delivery went from 5cm to 10cm very quickly.
I don't say this to scare you, I just feel ur local hospital are not giving you the correct care, just coz they can't see ur cervix is open doesn't don't mean it is not shorting,
Take ur self off to a different hospital

In my second pregnancy I was found to be funnelling in my 20 week scan with no contractions. This was while I had a stitch in place and had had to argue to get them to put onto my notes that I needed a cervical scan at the 20 week scan as it is not routine.

First sign of anything that doesn’t feel right, please get checked out.

Booked in hopefully for this Wednesday with a specialist scan at least! Same hospital but a more specialised team to do a transvaginal scan and take it from there.
I would have loved to go to different hospital but haven't got the car, I couldn't just drop my 2yo DD and get a train...I'm hoping this team who are at least the preterm birth team will have a better idea what to look for and will at least let me know one way or another.

The midwife at the hospital couldn't believe the two scans were of the same person. The only difference was I had an empty bladder in one and a full bladder in the other but one shows really clear obvious funnelling and the other just shows everything is closed up like it should be. I'm just at a loss as to why they could be so different.

Glad you are being seen by the specialist team. Cervix’s can change really quickly.

Thanks so much everyone for advice and kind words, I think this has been one of the scariest and most lonely experiences of my life. It's just been terrifying and confusing and I really appreciate the stories shared. This is something that's totally new to me, perhaps just naievety but I really appreciate it. I really hope they can see me Wednesday and that it's not too late.
I'm so scared to move in case I make things worse.

I'm glad they are seeing u on wed, try and relax until then, legs up on the sofa where u can no house work no heavy lifting which I know is hard with a small child
Please keep us posted xx

Thanks @boymum88 I keep looking at the pics from both scans and although I obviously dont know what I'm looking at, they just look so totally different. Trying not to google as its sent me into a bit of a panic.

I know it's hard not to Google I can never stop myself, we are all here to offer help and advice and it's well worth joining that fb group even if it to read other people's experiences
Just be prepared if on Wednesday u r funnelling or shorting they should be offering to put a rescue stitch in asap, so maybe take a little go bag with u xx

So glad they are taking you seriously. I'd just do the absolute minimum moving you can until tomorrow and I hope everything goes well at the scan. At least this time the right team are looking at it and you can be more trusting of their advice.
If this does turn out to need action I'd consider raising a complaint with the hospital.