Short cervix - positive stories only please (anxious mamma here!)

[Catlady12335678]

Hi ladies,

I had a loop excision years ago and now have a short cervix. I am 20 weeks pregnant and basically have just scared myself silly with what might happen. I was just looking for positive stories if you’ve got/had a shorter cervix and all was ok in pregnancy?

Just for context, it was 31mm at 16 weeks, 30mm at 18 weeks and I have another scan this week! Currently taking 200mg progesterone twice a day x x

Hi lovely, so sorry you're going through thus and feeling anxious. I gave birth to my son at 31+2 with the only possible reason being a shirt cervix due to a previous LLETz but no real answers. I can't really give advice as I wasn't being closely monitored in my first pregnancy, my lletz was completely disregarded and I had no idea it could cause any issues so until I was already in labour I was completely non the wiser.

To hopefully reasure you a little, my son was born at 4lb 5oz at 31+2 he stayed in the NICU for 23 days including transitional care and he's now a perfectly happy normal healthy thriving 2 year old. As long as you're being monitored, you may be offered a stitch or hormonal pessaries etc which might help you go as far along as you can. Being a preemie parents, I've seen with my own eyes what preemies of various gestation can do and they're the strongest babies out there.

Wishing you a healthy pregnancy!

I'd try not to worry if you're being monitored, I think a lot of the scarier stories are when it went undetected. I also scared myself with online searches!

I had a short cervix with my daughter, measuring 19mm at around 20 weeks so I had the arabin pessary fitted. I was fine and had it removed at 36 weeks, and my waters went at 37+2.

Im pregnant again and waiting for my 16 week scan a week tomorrow.

If they're monitoring you they'll pick up on any changes quickly and get a treatment in place ☺️

Hi OP, I was found to have a shortened and funnelling cervix at 24 weeks with a positive ffn test. I was prescribed progesterone too. I remember how terrifying it was. Baby made it to 39 + 2 when she was dragged out by planned c section! Great that you are being closely monitored, just take one day at a time. Xx

I was expecting twins and part of a KCL twins study so being scanned fortnightly for Twin to Twin transfusion syndrome. At 20 weeks on a routine scan I was found to have almost no cervix at all- 2mm. I was admitted on the spot and spent the next 10 weeks in hospital so I would be within minutes of the SCBU when the babies fell out as expected. I was given progesterone but couldn't have the stitch procedure for fear of puncturing the amniotic sac. So I basically spent most of the rest of my pregnancy on my back to counteract gravity. I think it was only the pilates I'd been doing and resulting formidable pelvic floor that kept the babies in. I was told that every day they delayed being born would improve their survival chances by 1%.
Anyway, they did stay in. At 30 weeks I was discharged and went back to work. The boys were born by ceasarian at 34 weeks, small but perfect. After 3 weeks in SCBU feeding and growing they came home and have never looked back. They have just finished their GSCEs, represent England U18 at their (niche) sport, sing in a choir, completed Ten Tors and DofE Silver, play piano and chess, and are absolute sweethearts into the bargain.
I remember a picture wall in KCL Special Care Baby Unit where parents posted photos of their children as they grew- these were all babies born tremendously early or with life threatening conditions at birth but who had pulled through and were living their lives. I remember this gave me hope when things looked really bleak. It was a very frightening, lonely time (DH was in Iraq with the military) but we got through it, with a sudoku addiction the only lasting harm
There are lots of good news stories out there and every reason to be hopeful. I really hope and pray for a happy outcome for you @Catlady12335678

Thanks for this thread. I am currently 19w+2d and my short cervix (1.8 cm to 2 cm)was diagnosed earlier this week, after pain being consistently dismissed by the NHS midwives. I have had a stressful few days as I even had contractions at some point but now on 400 mg progesterone pessaries twice a day (only 3rd day today) and will be checked again next week. I am already in much less pain so hopefully they are doing what they are supposed to do. No positive story to offer yet but just empathy and hoping all goes well OP. Great to see the positive stories shared here X wishing you good luck

This was me and we held on to 40+1. Go slow and don't push yourself at all. Lots and lots of rest.