Cervix length- hand hold and advice please

[mamatocaptainchaos]

Hello,

This might just come across like I'm being overalls anxious and paranoid- it's true.

I had my son at 29weeks 9 years ago. Spontaneous birth.

I am currently 17 weeks pregnant.
I have my first cervix length scan a week ago at 16 weeks and it was 34mm. The consultant said this was fine.

Unfortunately; I have googled. Which I know isn't great: but apparently 34mm is expected at around 34 weeks gestation. And average for 16 weeks is 4mm plus.

I am so anxious about losing this baby due to my cervix. They are scanning every two weeks so my next scan is Monday next week: but until then I keep thinking I will go into labour and miscarry.

Has anyone else been through similar and had similar length? Has it all been okay?

I guess right now I really need reassurance.

Thank you for reading xxxx

Was cervical incompetence the reason for your early birth previously?

Do they have cervical measurements prior to pregnancy to compare?

You may just have a naturally shorter cervix.

Remember average is average. Some will be shorter and some will be longer.

It’s great they’re looking after you. If the doctors are concerned they’ll absolutely tell you.

Sending you lots of love

@mamatocaptainchaos I posted a thread about this yesterday as I'm going through similar and am so worried. I had a LLETZ 5ish years ago, and so am having my cervix measurements checked. At 18 weeks mine was 3.5mm, which in all honesty I was pretty happy about, but yesterday at 20 weeks my cervix had shortened to 2.8mm. They said as long as above 2.5mm they wouldn't treat, but 3mm over the threshold seems incredibly close. I'm not getting checked again for another two weeks, and am terrified as my cervix had already shortened 7mm in the previous two weeks.

All I will say is that anything about 2.5mm is meant to be fine. As you're having your scans nice and early they should be able to treat if it does reduce. I was pleased with 3.5mm at 18 weeks and didn't think anything of it, which is why yesterday came as such a shock. It's scary I completely understand x

@WhoAreYah they didn't find why I went into preterm labour before! It was totally spontaneous.

I worry that I'll go into labour during my two week scans.

34mm at 16 weeks just seems so low in comparison to what I've seen online.

I can't relax thinking that I'm going to lose my baby.

I haven't had any bleeding etc. I had spotting in first trimester but this was due to a cervical erosion. That's about it though.

I wish they'd just give me the progesterone pessaries but I know they only do this when cervical length is 25mm.

I think it's the unknown too- I don't know if my cervix is shortening or not. I just had to wait until my next scan and that is what I'm finding very hard.

So anything below 2.5cm is when they start to worry. All I would say is call ur consultant and ask to be seen sooner to help with ur anxiety and if you want push for progesterone push for it, or even if you want a stitch push for it. I wouldn't have been happy with a watch and wait approach

I had my 1st son at 28+1 due to undiagnosed ic. This pregnancy I pushed to be seen early in the pre term clinic cervix was 2.6 at 10+5 weeks so had the stitch placed at 13+5, now 35+3 weeks
These are the nice guidelines that hospital should be working within.
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng25/chapter/Recommendations#prophylactic-vaginal-progesterone-and-prophylactic-cervical-cerclage

Hey OP I was monitored for cervical length and had DD at 34 weeks. I was on progesterone pessaries from about 17 weeks after my cervix measured 24mm.
I would hesitantly say 34mm isn't that bad but I would ask if you can have the pessaries or stitch. At my hospital they made it clear that if I'd had a previous pre term labour they would have taken preventative action before my cervix shortened.

Our first little guy, an IVF baby, was smaller that he should have been all the way along.

We had so many tests to check everything and they even told us they thought my wife would miscarry after eight week as the embryo was so small. Birth and pregnancy worries are the worst.

I'm now sitting in at my work from home desk watching him haring around on the balance bike out of the window as his little brother chases him.

You'll be grand.

I have just called my consultants secretary and she said I should hear back by tomorrow.

Is the progesterone something I can push for? Surely she would have prescribed this to me last week if she thought I needed it?

I think I'd feel less anxious and worried if I were prescribed this.

@mamatocaptainchaos It's something consultants opinions and usage of widely vary. There is little evidence of the effectiveness of it. But that been said it causes no harm and has little to no side effects for most women.
I have been taking from 11 weeks 400mg once a day then when my cervix shorted and funnelled at 28 weeks they double the dose to 400mg twice a day, cervix has been stable from then. I personally decided that I wanted to take it, as it can do no harm and can only help x

Hi Op, I’m going through the same. I had my first cervix scan yesterday and measured at 28mm.

I also went into spontaneous labour with my son around 18 weeks after bleeding on and off for a couple of weeks sadly he didn’t survive. Investigations were done but they never found or had a definitive answer as to what had happened but as a precaution I am having cervical scans.

34mm is well above the minimum so that sounds good. Are you able to talk to someone about this to reassure you, a midwife perhaps?

I’ve also thought about the scenario of what if I start to bleed/leak fluid and go into labour. It’ll be too late then and I’ll blame myself. I’m having weekly scans but I know from personal experience things can happen quite quickly.

Would be nice to stay in touch on here and share experiences the next few weeks if you are up for that? X

@mamatocaptainchaosI’m on progesterone and haven’t had any cervical scans. My consultant said that it can’t do any harm so my hospital offers it to anyone who’s had prem labour previously.

@Greenbks hello, definitely would love to stay in touch. I'm so sorry for your previous loss. I can't imagine how anxious you are feeling in this pregnancy? How many weeks are you now?

@Catlover8926 I am waiting for my consultant to call me.

I'm just going to ask her outright if she can prescribe me progesterone.

I am assuming she can deny this though and say no?

Does anyone know if my GP can prescribe the vaginal progesterone?

@mamatocaptainchaos I just kept saying so what can we do to prevent it? Then the consultant was like you’re obviously anxious so we can offer you progesterone, if it wasn’t your cervical length it won’t do anything and studies are inconclusive but it won’t do any harm so if you want it prescribed I’ll prescribe it. I’m only on 1 a day though so not sure if that would be enough for you?

@Catlover8926 do you have a history of preterm labour ? Sorry I can't see if you've already said it anywhere.

I'm going to ask for it when she calls me but I am worried she'll say no?

I’m 13 weeks +5 days. Still very early and it can still go wrong. Also conscious I don’t have a lot to go (only 3mm) if cervix were to shorten.

Yes, very very anxious, especially as it’s getting closer to when I went into labour. Just hoping the scans pick up any issues in time.

Good luck with the consultant- if it’s affecting your mental health & you feel anxious over it I can’t see why they wouldn’t. Definitely don’t feel bad for pushing for it

@mamatocaptainchaos I hope your consultant can reassure you. I know we all want to feel like we are doing something, but they will only prescribe that if they think it would help and wouldnt do any harm. If they say no, they should tell you why that is (I personally have no idea if progesterone is useful for cervix lenght)

@mamatocaptainchaos, 34mm sounds normal and nothing to worry about. Mine was checked at 16 weeks, no particular reason, part of regular checks my private clinic does. Mine was 28mm and I was assured by a fetal medicine professor that this was absolutely fine. I did read up as well and went to the Fetal Medicine Centre at Harley street a week later as I needed more reassurance. They measured it the same and said as well nothing to worry about. Specialists there have trained under Professor Kypros Nicolaides. 25mm is the limit they start considering options. I will have another scan this week as I feel it's better to have it regularly monitored. However I have now been told by two respected specialists (both work with NHS and privately) that my 28mm is fine and nothing to worry about. Don't google, but insist on monitoring if you're worried. I'm wondering if I'm having a naturally shorter cervix, no idea.

@Wireless77 reading your post had made me feel better about my situation ☺️ My cervix was 3.5mm at 18 weeks and then 2.8mm at 20 weeks yesterday which really scared me as so close to the limit of 2.5mm, but from what you’ve said and the fact you’ve had two opinions that sounds like it’s absolutely fine. I’ll be checked again at 22 weeks and 24 x

@Wireless77 I’ve also pondered the same about naturally having a shorter cervix. I’m only 5”1 so could be something in that. Did you have follow up scans? X

Hi, I had ivf and during this it was noted that i had a short cervix. No one measured it at this point. Anyway the ivf worked and I was told I would be referred to the hospital for a plan to be put together. Got seen at the hospital at 18 weeks but only because I pushed for it. They wanted to leave it until 20 weeks. My cervix was noted to be 25mm. The dr was very blasé about it saying I was in the grey area. She wanted to leave me from the 18 to 20 weeks then rescan but I wasn't happy with this and asked for progesterone. She was of the mindset that there is little evidence of the effectiveness of progesterone but I could have it for the placebo effect! I got rescanned at 20 weeks and it was stable so I have to remain on it until 36 weeks.

@MintGreenLife, I will be having a scan later this week, my 3rd one. I'm 18 weeks, at 16 & 17 weeks it was 28mm, I keep my fingers crossed it has stayed the same, or grown (apparently this can happen too). Will keep you posted how it goes and what the consultant says.

@Wireless77 I’ll be hoping the same for us both then! Let me know how you get on and good luck x

34mm is a good length.

I was referred to pre term clinic due to previous Lletz treatment and mine was measuring 19mm at 19 weeks. I had the arabin pessary fitted which is quite a new alternative treatment to the stitch and I also have the progesterone daily.

2 weeks later I'd gone up to 22mm where it stayed for another 4 weeks but it then dropped to 17mm. They done tests to see if there were any signs of early labour which there wasn't so I've been signed off from the main consultant as the aim was to get me to 28 weeks (I'm now 29).

It's super scary, I done way too much googling! I'd definitely push for regular scans to keep an eye on it over the next few weeks and then push for treatment if it goes lower. Hopefully you won't need it though ☺️ x

So I had my 3rd cervix scan today at 18 weeks. At St Thomas London prematurity clinic. They took a few measurements and the lowest was 32 mm, others were even bigger. It seems mine has grown in the last 2 weeks... They said absolutely nothing to worry about. Just in case, they will see me in 3 weeks time as I was so anxious (history of recurrent early miscarriages).