Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Incompetent Cervix - anyone with a second child?

13 replies

MrsWood · 18/05/2005 12:18

I've got incompetent cervix and after having 2 losses (both at around 19 weeks of pregnancy), and a cervical cerclage (stitch) put in, we've had a baby girl who is now almost 2. We are now planning a second child - are there any mums with the same condition who are pregnant with their second baby or anyone who already had their second baby having had a cervical cerclage? How was it second time around? Was it difficult having to rest with a toddler in tow? etc. etc. etc.

OP posts:

Thanks

Report

GeorgieM · 24/05/2005 11:49

Hi Mrs Woods. I also had to have a cerclage with DD who is now 3 1/2. I just found out that I'm 6 1/2 weeks pg and am wondering the same thing. I had DD in New York and the care there is stringent, I was on bed rest for 22 hours a day from 26-36 weeks. Have no idea what UK docs suggest and how I@m going to manage with active child to chase around after. Think it will be a case of pulling in favours from friends and family and DD watching a lot of TV whilst I rest! Good luck with TTC.

Thanks

Report

NomDePlume · 24/05/2005 12:02

Hi there

It's not me personally but a lady at my DD's nursery has the same condition, she has 2 children who are both under 7 and is expecting her 3rd (with a stitch).

Thanks

Report

GeorgieM · 24/05/2005 20:13

Wow, that's good to know. Was dreading having to go on bed rest again. Sounds as if I might be able to get away with limited bed rest and 'taking things easy'. Although how you do this with a 3 1/2 yr old I've still to work out!

Thanks

Report

expatinscotland · 24/05/2005 20:19

A work colleague of mine in the States had a procedure in which she had something called a total abdominal cerclage situated after repeated MacDonald cerlages failed. She was able to carry her second child to term w/this type of cerclage, but she did have to pay for it privately. She suffered 4 losses before 24 weeks and her first child was born 6 weeks prematurely.

Thanks

Report

babyonboard · 25/05/2005 14:53

ooh no..hope i'm not needlessly worrying again .at my internal exam at 8 weeks the doctor said my cervix was slightly open. What is incompetent cervix? should i be worried, or would the doctor have told me if there was need for concern

Thanks

Report

pupuce · 25/05/2005 14:59

Babyonborad, no there is nothing to worry about. Is it your 1st ? If not then it's nornal.
My cousin had her 1st at 31 weeks, second pregnancy she had a cerclage, 3rd pregnancy she didn't but was on anti-contraction sort of drugs from 30 weeks, she stoped taking them at lunchtime when she was around 40 weeks, baby was born 8 hours later!
I believe her 4th was not a problem at all!

Thanks

Report

GeorgieM · 25/05/2005 16:59

Hi babayonboard, I agree with pupace. If doc was worried then he would have spoken to you about getting a stitch. I had to have cerclage because of op on my cervix where they chopped a load out. But, if you're at all worried, why don't you give them a call to set your mind at rest.

Thanks

Report

sparklymieow · 25/05/2005 17:07

how do you know if you have a problem with your cervix?? I had all my babies early (36,31 and 33 weeks) the hospital never gave me a reason for this and never gave me any anti contraction drugs either, even though that was how my labours started each time, my waters had to be broken with DD1, C/s with Ds and my waters broke when I was pushing with DD2.

Thanks

Report

pupuce · 25/05/2005 17:29

Sparkly - That's a question for Mears I think

Thanks

Report

MrsWood · 25/05/2005 19:51

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies, it's really nice to hear I'm not alone in this!

sparkly, unfortunately, you don't know whether or not you have incompetent cervix until you lose a baby early on in pregnancy - after 12 weeks though, as miscarriages before 12 weeks, as you must know yourself, can be caused by anything. Unfortunately, after we lost our first baby at almost 19 weeks, we digged through internet and books and kind of diagnosed incompetent cervix ourselves. Our consultant was incompetent himself, and told us (when we were expecting again) that it's obsurd to think we have that condition, and that we'd be very unlucky if it happened to us again - even though we told him I've had an operation "down there" when I was 9 when my appendix burst and they could have damaged the cervix whilst cleaning up - he said the chances are astronomical... We asked for a stitch anyway, and he refused saying it would be a waste of time... few days later we were in hospital again, losing our second baby at 19 weeks. When asked for him, they told us he took a "vacation" (yeah, right) and when he did eventually visit us, all he could say was "I am so sorry", and walked out. They were lucky we didn't sue for negligence. We then had a new consultant, who couldn't believe that we weren't offered a stitch in second pregnancy - he said they should have at least have been monitoring my cervix to see if it was opening. He did a stitch at 13 weeks of our third pregnancy and everything went fine - we now have a beautiful little 2 year old girl and will hopefully have more very soon

OP posts:

Thanks

Report

babyonboard · 26/05/2005 08:27

mrs wood..i'm so sorry for your losses. that is really sad. I had probably wrongly assumed i was out of the danger zone now at 15 weeks. This is my first baby, but i had a d & c a ccouple of years ago, and i'm not sure if that could have caused any damage.

Thanks

Report

mears · 26/05/2005 23:03

sparklymieow - in your case you are prone to preterm labour rather than incompetent cervix. The drugs that used to be given to prevent preterm labour (oral ritodrine) is no longer given routinely probably because of the side effects (rapid heart rate etc) and they really weren't effective. Because of the advances in neonatal nursing care, preterm labour is only attempted to be stopped in order to get steroids on boars if possible. The drug used now is Atosiban which is given intraveously for 48 hours to try and prevent delivery until steroids are effective. It is not recommended after 33 weeks.
There are ongoing studies into the causes of preterm labout but TBH there is often no real answer.

Thanks

Report

sparklymieow · 26/05/2005 23:50

Thanks Mears, I had a drip with DD2, but it didn't work at 5ml/hr or 10ml or 20ml so they put it up to 30ml/hr which stopped the labour but my heart rate went to 130bpm. so they had to stop it because they said I was at risk of heart failure. So I will always have a baby preterm then??