Has anybody previously travelled with Cervical Cerclage

[Clover7]

Hello there,

I had a preventative cervical cerclage put in at 17 weeks due to a previous LLETZ procedure. The doctors have given me the ok to travel, fly, exercise, swim etc. however I’m just wondering if anyone has navigated travel insurance with a cerclage?

The hope is that we’ll head to Italy for an wedding and I’ll be 24 weeks on the week of travel. It’s my first pregnancy so its all very new, I’m debating if I should even go or not, but mainly if anyone has had experience with successfully landing insurance with a stitch.

Many thanks you wonderful community!

I had them with two pregnancies, both put in at 13 weeks, after losing my first baby at 22 weeks due to a weak cervix. After the loss of my first baby I was super scared so with my first pregnancy with a cerclage/stitch, I moved as little as possible - cabs to and from work, if we went out my husband would drive me to the door of a local restaurant, drop me off, drive home to park the car and walk back, my PAs at work would go get my lunch, etc. With my second pregnancy I wasn't quite so scared so did keep taking the tube to work and walked locally, but absolutely would not have exercised. Both my babies were born at 35 weeks, even though I'd been told that once I had the stitch in, it would all be fine. The cerclage held them in long enough that they are fine (primary school now), but not to full term.

Honestly, in your shoes I wouldn't do it. 24 weeks is the cusp where a baby born who is rushed to absolutely top notch neo-natal care might survive, albeit probably with disabilities. You really want that baby to stay in until 28 weeks absolute minimum, and 32+ would be much better. In the meantime, you want to stay near a hospital you would be comfortable to deliver in, with the best possible antenatal care, and where if you have to get admitted early and stay for weeks trying to keep the baby inside you for as long as possible you are near family and friends.

Frankly, I don't understand how you can have had a problem that means they thought they needed to put in a cerclage, but are still telling you that you can go running or whatever. Stitches help, but they aren't a guarantee.

Good luck! I hope it all works out and that you are welcoming your beautiful baby into the world - but not too soon.

@SummerInSun Thank you for your quick reply. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk about your experience. Could I ask if you also had the LLETZ procedure prior to your pregnancies?

I'm super happy you have two thriving little primary poppets!

Nope. I didn't have any risk factors. Turns out I had a weak cervix (or "incompetent cervix" to use the offensive medial term!)

Hiya, sorry to jump on this thread!
I had LLETZ back in January this year and had some of my cervix removed, no idea how much as I wasn’t told.
I am now pregnant with my first and my midwife said I should expect for my cervix to be measured between 16-20 weeks. I have received my letter and they are going to measure me at my 20 week scan and not before- should I push to have this earlier?
a lot of what I’ve read, most seem to have the measure before 20 weeks, I may be just being over cautious as it’s my first…. What do you think?
many thanks 🤍

@Clover7 I'm also surprised they told you to do whatever, I was told not to stand up/walk for longer than 45 minutes and also had a holiday booked for 24 weeks - the advice I was given was "it might be fine, but you can't rule out being stuck in another country with a very premature baby who can't travel for a very long time". We ended up going to York instead and staying near the hospital just in case!

My stitch was after Lletz and DS stayed put until a week after it was taken out in the end.

@eed32 I think I was measured at 20 weeks and stitch put in a a few weeks later after monitoring for a while on progesterone. But most people who've had Lletz don't need a stitch so fingers crossed!

Thank you, I have my 16 week appointment with my midwife this week so I’m going to try and push and see if I can get seen any earlier as I could do without the anxiety of not knowing! It’s reassuring to hear you had yours at 20 weeks too, perhaps it’s done on how much you had removed/ how many LLETZ surgeries etc as I guess that makes a difference to the risk level. I’ve only had the one surgery and not sure how much taken out, you want to put full trust in the nhs but it’s hard sometimes!

Yes it was definitely at my 20 week scan now I think about it, that was the policy at my trust. Then stitch went in week 22.

Hopefully your midwife will be reassuring but don't worry if not, I found they didn't really know much about it but once I was under a consultant I just talked to them about it and my midwife for everything else.

@eed32 Hello, sorry for just getting back to you and seeing this thread!

I had mine out in at 17 weeks but like @Mufflette said, you can have it put in later if required. If it settles your anxiety I would always just ask anyway if you can get it checked just for your own self-assurance. You hear a lot of people who had had the procedure who do not require any intervention, this is also my first pregnancy, so there’s nothing to say that I didn’t just have a cervix which was on the shorter side anyway.

I didn’t end up going away, I felt like my nerves would have been all over the shop and zaps the fun out of a holiday.

thank you all for your messages. Hope you get on well @eed32