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Original poster

What to expect at consultant appoint for possible short cervix

16 replies

2mumlife · 07/03/2022 10:16

Hi all,

14 weeks pregnant. I have an obstetrics appointment later this week as I have a possible short cervix (previous LLETZ procedure, and fertility clinic consultant was concerned about cervical length). I have an additional ultrasound booked in already for 16 weeks to get cervix length checked, so I don't really understand what this earlier appoointment with the consultant is for, as they haven't checked my cervical length yet? Just wondering if anyone can shed any light on what I can expect this week - just more questions about medical history?

Thanks for sharing any thoughts!

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SweetPeaGirl · 07/03/2022 12:59

My guess would be that this is your hospital's usual process when LLETZ is flagged, and that there's overlap in your care because of the fertility clinic. There's not a lot anyone can do / say before you've had a scan, so I'd expect a repeat of conversations you've already had to get your OB up to date.

I saw the OB regarding LLETZ at 12 weeks, I'd had it done somewhere else so they were asking if I knew depth/size of what was removed (I didn't, but I did request my notes from the other hospital and sent those over), and talked through the scan. That was it really at that stage.

Then I got my cervix scanned right after my anatomy scan at 20 weeks. You're probably aware but the cervix scan is internal and IMO totally fine.

My result was well within normal do I didn't need anything else. If yours is not they will discuss your options at that point.

annlee3817 · 07/03/2022 13:09

I had mine last Friday, she did the cervical length scan at the same time though. She discussed future appointments to monitor it, I had a shortening cervix in my last pregnancy, so we talked about that, I've been prescribed progesterone pessaries as a preventative. Also talked about the lletz and when it was done.

NoviceMum90 · 07/03/2022 14:03

Sorry to hijack this thread but I also have a cervical scan this week due to previous LLETZ… I figured it would be internal - is it much different (discomfort wise) to a normal smear test?

annlee3817 · 07/03/2022 16:55

@NoviceMum90 weirdly I find it a bit more comfortable than a smear, I had a speculum in to do a swab first on Friday and then the internal scan, the key is to relax, the consultant may push down on your stomach a bit, they do this to make sure the measurement is right and can check for funnelling this way.

NoviceMum90 · 07/03/2022 22:21

@annlee3817 thank you - very reassuring! I haven’t had any issues with my previous smears/biopsies/procedures so sounds like there’s nothing to worry about :)

89redballoons · 07/03/2022 22:29

It might just be to make you aware of treatment options at this stage. If you haven't had a scan yet they won't know if you need treatment anyway, and even if you did I think 14 weeks would be very early to start unless you'd already lost a pregnancy because of having a short cervix.

I had two internal scans at I think 17 and 21 weeks, and also found them less of a big deal than a smear. Possibly TMI but they used ky jelly on the scanner thing which makes it more comfortable - you can't do that with a smear I guess because it would interfere with the sample.

Original poster

2mumlife · 08/03/2022 11:34

@NoviceMum90 I had a load of transvaginal scans during IVF treatment, its totally fine :)

Thanks @annlee3817 @89redballoons @SweetPeaGirl it just seems odd to me to bother with a consultant appointment before the scan when as has been said they can't tell anything until they scan me at 16 weeks. I guess I'll just keep expecting it to be a brief history and not much else. I've not had a pregnancy before (other than a chemical pregnancy) so no history to go on, main concern was fertility clinic noting a shortened cervix during embryo transfers. The LLETZ was done by NHS so they should just be able to look up my notes but I'll dig out some of the letters I kept so I can be more accurate about dates as it was a good few years ago now, and I think I still have my discharge info from a small hemorrhage I had after the LLETZ procedure.

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2mumlife · 11/03/2022 12:05

Just a quick update - it was a totally pointless appointment. Nurse didn't know why I had been given the appointment when my scan wasn't for 2 weeks, and agreed there was no need for me to see a Dr today. So we just had wee chat where she added notes about medical history, and took my blood pressure again since I was there. She also took some more blood for ym hba1c which she said wasn't taken last week, but which my badger notes say were. Either way, they've been sent off again.

She did notice my scan appointment had been made for the wrong day - they booked me in for a wednesday scan, but the high risk clinic I need to attend for consutlant is a thursday. So she also sorted that so I now have a time for cervix scan on the 24th and an appoinment to see the consultant after.

So all a bit of a faff to be honest, but at least things should go smoothly now on the 24th.

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Clch · 13/04/2022 17:37

Hey OP how did you get on with your appointment? I have the same issue, but no cervical length scans booked, only a consultant appointment at 17 weeks. I have raised it with them after reading your update about needing to know the actual cervical length first - makes sense!

Original poster

2mumlife · 20/04/2022 11:36

@Clch Sorry only just seen this. Could it be your consultant appointment is for something else as well? I've been getting on fine with the cervix checks. Had one at 16 and 18 weeks, then they checked cervix again at my 20 week scan yesterday. Everythings stayed the same (e.g. cervix closed, not shortening between scans). I should have had 1 scan at 22 weeks and a final scan at 24, but going on a mini break at 22 weeks, so I've just rebooked for 23 weeks which I'm pretty sure will just be my last check since everything has stayed fine. Hope you have a similarly easy time when you get your checks done (and p.s congratulations!)

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Clch · 20/04/2022 16:33

Hey @2mumlife no probs at all! So happy for you that all is going well so far, it must be a huge relief! I seem to have a battle on my hands at getting correctly checked so we will see, but at least with posts like yours I know when I should be getting checked rather than going in blind and missing opportunities. My consultant appt is purely due to my short cervix (had 1.7cm length removed during LLETZ so I know it will be on the short side) but still no luck with scans before the appt at almost 18 weeks, I'll persist! Long cervixes all around, thanks for your reply :)

Original poster

2mumlife · 21/04/2022 15:14

@Clch You never know - my sister also had a LLETZ and got a cervix check...and got told she had the longest cervix they'd ever seen! So it really depends how much you had there to start with :) Hopefully you get get checked and fingers crossed its all totally fine for you

OP posts:

Pud90 · 01/07/2022 10:13

Hi all.
Sorry to revive an old thread but I was wondering how you were all getting on with this?
I am currently 14+3 and had a LLETZ under GA in 2018 for Cin3. It was a big excision and I had same depth removed as you did @Clch (17mm). It’s the depth that particularly worries me.
Where I live policy is to offer one cervical scan at 20weeks. I wasn’t happy with that so managed to be referred to tommys pre term birth clinic in London and have an appt there next week! (They were super helpful for anybody struggling to be listened to and if you have had a previous lletz you fulfill their referral criteria).
literally praying my cervix is long, it has been all I can think about since the 12 weeks scan! Would be good to hear from people a couple months further on the journey!

Clch · 27/08/2022 20:27

Hi @Pud90 I haven't been on Mumsnet for a while and saw your post today, I ended up having a cervical stitch at 19 weeks at the end of May. I'm now 32 weeks and it seems to be holding. My consultant didn't want to scan my length until 20 weeks either but I really put my foot down and lucky I did as I was prescribed progesterone after the 16 week CL scan and then at the 18 week follow up scan my length had gone down to 21mm which is under the 25mm threshold. During the operation the surgeon was not positive she said she had done all she could and I had a lot of scar tissue / it was difficult to place the stitch. I took it upon myself to house rest, not lift, drive, do anything strenuous and now I'm at 32 weeks. How are you now getting on? The incompetent cervix uk pregnancy related Facebook page has been a godsend!

Pud90 · 27/08/2022 23:13

Hi! Thanks for responding. Glad to hear it worked out for you.
I ended up referring myself to the tommys pre term birth clinic in London as I wasn’t happy to only be scanned once. They were amazing and scanned me at 15, 18, 19 and 21 weeks and lengths were relatively stable at 38, 33, 31 and 32mm throughout so I decided to not have any more scans as they said they would happily discharge but would scan if it helped me feel less anxious. Think I realised it wasn’t making me feel less anxious and that if it had got a bit shorter but not enough to do anything I would just spend the rest of the pregnancy worrying.
so that’s where I’m at, almost 23 weeks and trying really hard not to think about my cervix or the risk of premature birth.

For anyone in a similar situation- tommys will accept you for monitoring if you have had a lletz. Just need a letter from your Gp and you can ring the research midwife’s and they will book you an appointment.

Clch · 28/08/2022 07:30

Hi @Pud90 that's brilliant you had such a good length. The consultant did say to me that the scar tissue alone can help keep the cervix closed so I guess we can take that as a positive! I also found that after 24-25 weeks the pressure of the baby seemed to move across my pelvis rather than directly above the cervix which I have also read online.
Good news regarding Tommys - they seem to really be leading the way with this, I hope all hospitals follow suit to save unnecessary stress and upset in the future

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