Cerclage Experiences

[IC29173]

I'm currently 23w pregnant and had an emergency cerclage placed a few days ago after routine monitoring showed my cervix had shortened to 14-15mm. No funneling/opening, so not quite a rescue stitch but the cervix had shortened over 1cm in a week after holding steady since 16w. My first baby was born at 34w, a few days after PPROM with no warning, I wasn't under consultant care last time and all was well with the pregnancy until this point. I did have a lletz treatment years ago which the doctors think is what has caused the cervix issues.
If you've had a cerclage, when was it placed and when did you go into labour? The consultant has said they hope we might get to 36w, but my understanding is that when done as an emergency after changes have been seen, cerclages tend not to be so successful and I can't shake the anxiety of having another, maybe even earlier, premature baby.

Mine was put in at 22 weeks and held in place and did its job all the way to 37 weeks.
I had it removed at 37 weeks and went into spontaneous labour 39 weeks.

Ask for progesterone pessaries as well they were a miracle worker in my previous pregnancy I was prescribed x 2 and used at night.

Thanks, that's so reassuring to hear. I should have said I've been on progesterone since 16w and using it religiously every night, although it doesn't seem to be doing much!

I lost my first son last year 19 weeks and we still don’t know why. In my next pregnancy, I had the same symptoms which was a hyper irritable uterus that was causing mechanical shortening in my cervix. Cerclage was placed at 18+6 and my waters broke in the night at 32+6. Baby was born by emergency section 33+1 as labour started 48 hours after waters broke and labour was so fast the stitch embedded. I had an EMCS under general anaesthetic. Very traumatising, but totally worth it for my beautiful little second son.

Thanks for responding, and I'm so sorry to hear you had such a traumatic experience. Did you get any warning before your waters went? I had absolutely no symptoms last time, and then a very, very quick labour a few days later so concerned that the same thing happens again! Did they monitor your cervix length after the stitch was placed?

Hi, no I got no warning at all. I just knew I was higher risk for it as I was contracting 30-60 times a day with irritable uterus.

My local hospital actually refused
to do anything and told us baby would just have to die as stitch with any kind of symptoms is against guidelines for them. Thankfully, we found Prof Shennan, who works with Tommy’s who agreed to do it in London. I had monitoring every 2 weeks until 28 weeks when they no longer monitor as you’re considered into visibility by then. My last cervical measurement at 28 weeks was 19cm and stable.

I had an emergency cervical cerclage at 22w5d. Consultant said he had a few mm left and membranes were bulging through. It held for 14 days and I had my daughter at 24w5d - I'd had yellow discharge, cramps and then waters broke. Transpired both baby and I had sepsis.

I was gutted as I wanted to reach the "magic" 28 weeks when lungs are fully developed, but the NICU was incredible and my Daughter is now an amazing 4 yr old.

Have you been admitted? If you do go into labour early they can give steroids and an infusion to help brain and lung development.

Post birth I was strongly advised to get a trans abdominal stitch if I wanted to get pregnant again (I'd previously had a loss at 20 weeks).

My mam lost her first baby at 22 weeks due to cervical incompetence; when she was pregnant with me they did a cerclage and she managed to hold onto me until 34 weeks at which point they did a c-section.

Meant to add that the fact cervix hasn't opened is promising.

It sounds as though you are describing an ultrasound indicated rather than rescue cerclage. When you are looking up outcomes they are very different (much better if US indicated). Most places will not monitor cervical length once the stitch is in, just some scans to see if it is still in place.
Best wishes.

Yes definitely not a rescue, just an "emergency stitch" due to significant changes. The consultant suggested a rescue would give an extra 4 weeks on average, but couldn't give any real indication for what to expect from these circumstances, other than it's a better situation than the rescue.

I've found some research which suggests that the outcome isn't as good when the stitch is done later in the pregnancy/once changes have been seen, but there's not much so was hoping for some anecdotal experiences!

Oh wow, what a scary experience for you, thank you for sharing and so glad to hear your daughter is now doing so well.

I've not been admitted, I think the fact that the cervix hasn't opened puts us in a better position as you say, so they are hoping we'll get much further on. I just can't quite bring myself to believe it...

My first baby had steroids after my waters went and didn't need any NICU support, which was unexpected so I know how much of a difference they make. Just hoping if anything does happen, there will be enough time to get them since everything happened so fast last time!

I'm so sorry to hear that your mum went through that, but it's reassuring to hear that the cerclage helped get her to 34w, thank you so much for sharing

Wow I'm so sorry to hear you had such an awful experience, that must have been so traumatising. So glad you were able to find someone to help.

That's really reassuring to hear that your stitch held stable until 28w, I'd love to get to the 36-37w that they have said they hope to reach, but beyond 28w at the very least would be a much better situation than we had hoped before they placed this.

I meant to say as well that they were monitoring her closely from about 19 weeks and decided to place the cerclage based on ultrasound indication at 21 weeks when changes had been seen, so it really did hold for quite a long time! Wishing you the best of luck with yours.

@mummytrex I know its been a little while since this thread was used but i just wanted to say I read your post and cried with a little hope. I'm only 16+4 but cervix (still closed) is 11-14mm already, went in for emergency stitch but there wasnt enough external cervix left to perform it. Previous severe lletz. So just on progesterone. All my goalposts have changed and I'm hoping to make it to 24 weeks, but assumed there would be many caveats. So great to hear about your amazing 4yo. I just have to remain hopeful.