Short Cervix success story! And question re future pregancies

[Hiraeth55]

Hi all,

I first of all wanted to share a success story as there are so few (I think it's true people mostly only share the bad stuff) regarding a short cervix :)

I had a short cervix resulting, presumably, from a LLETZ procedure carried out 20 years previously. It was found to measure 21 - 22 mm at 22 weeks, of course a few mms below the scare threshold! I was advised to take it easy - no heavy lifting or impact activities, minimal walking (not exceeding 20 minutes a time) and no traveling.

I also started progesterone pessaries, which I kept up with until 37 weeks - I could have stopped earlier but had a loopy idea I would go into labour immediately upon stopping, so carried on another couple of weeks. My cervix stayed at the same measurement for the remainder of the pregnancy and I went to 41 weeks, at which point I went into a long, protracted labour - shattering any hope of the only apparent positive of a short cervix, a quick labour! the hospital even threatened to induce me at 40 weeks, ha! It was a joyful time : )))

I had been terrified, of course - it was pretty dang stressful for those 10 weeks until I hit 32 weeks, when I truly relaxed and just went with it. But all was really fine and I feel uncertain as to the role the resting or the progetserone played. If you are having a short cervix scare, I am proof that it can work out just fine!

Which takes me to my question - has anyone had a similar experience and then gone on to have another pregnancy? Ie a scare which did not materialise. Would you mind sharing your experience with me, regarding the second pregnancy? I would love to know whether there is the same possibility of a short cervix and how the medical professionals might view a case like mine, bearing in mind I went to 41 weeks and even had a lengthy labour. Would be so interested to hear any similar stories!!

TIA!

Wowzers, sorry that is such a long post....

I am currently pregnant with my second, seven years after my first. My cervix shortened to 24mm at 24 weeks, week before it was 34mm. I had progesterone up until week 36, I was signed off at 31 weeks as she was engaged and cervix was soft, so was on bed rest until 36 weeks. I went into labour at 40+5, my difference to you though is that my labour was fairly speedy at just over five hours

Sorry it posted too soon, I'm under the consultant, first cervical scan was at 14 weeks, 33mm, I am on progesterone already due to last pregnancy and next appointment is on Friday, so being scanned every three weeks at the moment :)

I’m going through this right now it’s all I can think about. Doesn’t help that my consultant will only see/ scan me every 4 weeks. I was measured at 16 weeks and measured 29mms. I won’t have another measurement scan until the 4th April where I’ll be 20
weeks. I have been on progesterone for the last couple of weeks. My only issue is we’re meant to be going to Spain next week for a short break and I’m not sure if you’re okay to fly with a short cervix or what Dknt have my consultant’s no so can’t ask him anything

So glad all worked out for you OP. It does give me hope!

Hi @Bountifull, sorry you are having this worry too. 29mm sounds pretty good though, so I hope you'll have happy news on the 4th. A big thing is whether the cervix is closed, or soft and funneling, if it's tight and closed then that is great. My consultant said she thought I 'just had a short cervix', meaning it could still do its job - perhaps this is your case too. You will want to be careful but try not to worry, ie try to see being careful as a reasonable response which will help the situation! I don't know about travel - I was advised not to but I don't know why, I think more because if anything had happened it would have been harder to have treatment, rather than travel would exacerbate the situation. What do you think you'll do?

@annlee3817 thank you so much or sharing your experience. Mine also stayed firm and closed until labour, which gives me hope, but I would be really interested to know how it goes for you at the next appointments, I mean what the professionals advise - not meaning to pry, of course. What do you think about bedrest? Have they advised that this time? Fingers crossed all is well this Friday, it's good to know you are being take care of : )

Happy to keep you updated, mine was soft last time hence the rest, at the moment the consultant is happy with me and I have been keeping up with my running :)

@Bountifull

Can you contact your midwife to get in touch with the consultant?

@annlee3817 that's great you are running! I read an interesting research article which found women with short cervices who exercised actually had a lower incidence of pre-term birth than those who didn't, I really believe it.

Thanks for keeping us updated!

Hi OP, great to read your story - I know when I went through similar I would trawl through mumsnet looking for similar experiences, hopefully for some reassurance!
My second pregnancy sounds very similar to yours - I was admitted at 24 weeks with cramping and found to have a shortened cervix of 22mm which was funnelling and also had a positive fetal fibronectin test which gave me a 50% chance of labour within 2 weeks! Needless to say I was pretty terrified! I was also prescribed progesterone and by 28 weeks my cervix had increased to normal range! I was advised against bed rest but was pretty much too scared to move until around 34 weeks! Went to 39+2 when I went in for an elective c section ( due to previous section).
It feels like there are a lot of unanswered questions around short cervix - I was seen by a number of consultants while I was an inpatient and they all had very different opinions on when I would deliver! Honestly I believe the progesterone was the thing that saved my pregnancy. I think you should be hugely reassured by going to term with this pregnancy 😊

@Glitterheart, that must have been terrifying! What a relief when it grew to normal range. It is good to remember that they are dynamic and can grow as well as shrink isn't it. So had you not had any issues in your first pregnancy? Did they only discover you had a short cervix as a result of the cramping? It is amazing that each pregnancy is so different and I guess this is my fear/hope - would i have any issue next time? I am glad you think that my first pregnancy sounds reassuring!

@Hiraeth55 I did have a lot of non painful tightenings in my first pregnancy, but did not affect my cervix length and went to 38+2 before going into labour.
Obviously your situation is very different to mine but they told me that reaching term with a previous pregnancy is a hugely reassuring factor, so that is good news for you!

@Glitterheart thank you for reassuring me! You must have been over the moon when yours lengthened, I know I was always skipping down the street after a positive appointment, haha. It's a funny one because all of the monitoring we have nowadays is so wonderful in so many ways, I truly am grateful, but then you do wonder how many things might just be your body working through issues, you know what I mean?

Had my follow up appt this morning, am 17+3, cervix is 32mm so still in the normal range, still happy with everything and sees no reason I won't carry to almost term, I say almost as I will be induced before 40 weeks due to age :) next cervix scan will be at my 20 week anomaly scan then a follow up at 23 weeks

@annlee3817 wonderful news!! That is a great length and so good that they are not concerned : )) That's interesting they will induce before 40 weeks, I am guessing you are over 40? It was the same for me (I turned 40 a few weeks before the birth) but I wasn't sure how standard a practice that was.

Yes turned 40 last August, so will be 41 when she's due :) I think they would have let me go to 40 weeks, but I have Group strep B and my last labour was quite quick, so induction earlier will ensure I get antibiotics during labour

@annlee3817ann ah, we are almost exactly the same age and I too had strep-B. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy, feel free to update us here : ))

So had a couple of cervix scans now been told my cervix is 15mm and funneling I'm 23weeks today. They seems concerned and are offering me the cervical stitch. I'm just looking for advice really. What are the chances of preterm labour? Is the stitch worth the risks or will the pessary act the same

Tia

I had a previous loss at 16 weeks, my waters broke and I went into a labour a couple of days later.... we started cervix measurements and at 16 weeks my cervix was 23.6mm with funnelling. Had a stitch put in the next day due to history
I was already on the progesterone because of the previous loss. Last scan was 23mm with no funnelling and I'm now 21 weeks.... Not a success story yet, but we're hopeful.

@Zoooeee the pessaries worked for me, but that involved bed rest and I was 24mm with no funnelling. I haven't experience the stitch, but know people who have had it and carried to term because of it.