Incompetent Cervix- Pregnancy forum

During pregnancy, the cervix is supposed to be tightly closed until right before delivery when it will begin to dilate. A growing baby not only puts pressure on your back, abdomen and other muscles, the weight also puts pressure on your cervix. Sometimes the pressure will cause the cerivx to dilate prematurely. This condition is known as incompetent cervix or weakened cervix. An incompetent cervix occurs in approximately 1 out of 100 pregnancies. Because doctors do not generally check for an incompetent cervix during an exam, it is usually not diagnosed until a miscarriage has occured. However, this is not always the case. Some women will know ahead of time that their cervix is weakened. A doctor can diagnose the condition with a pelvic exam or ultrasound exam if there is reason to believe that an incompetent cervix might be an issue.

An incompetent cervix can be caused by damage during a previous birth or a previous surgery on the cervix. A previous D&C from a miscarriage or abortion may also lead to an incompetent cervix in some cases. Some women are born with a defect in their cervix that can cause the condition as well. Women that have been exposed to DES (Diethylstilbestrol) are more likely to suffer from an incompetent cervix as well.

Women that suffer from an incompetent cervix have a higher chance of miscarriage and preterm delivery. To treat an incompetent cervix doctors will perform a cerclage. A cerclage is a procedure in which the doctor will sew the cervix closed with sutures to reinforce the cervix and prevent it from dilating to early. Most doctors will perform the cerclage when the mother is in her 14-16 week of pregnancy and remove the stitch once she has reached the 36-38 week. If the cervix has already dilated to 4 cm or the amniotic fluids have ruptured, a cerclage can not performed. Although rare, there are a few complications that are involved with a cerlcage. Having a cerclage can put a woman at higher risk for uterine and bladder rupture, premature labor or early rupture of membranes.

Comments: Incompetent Cervix

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all4love - 1 days ago.
Hello Ladies..... I am 28 wks 3dys, and am to begin 17p (Alpha Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate) injections today. Anyone else receiving these injections? Opinions?

sugarmomma - 2 days ago.
Cerclage is out ladies, I survived! Yayy!! Baby's not in time-out anymore... Yayy!! Um yea, feel free to come on out anytime now, little man! Don't be in there lolly-gaggin!

M0mmie-08 - 2 days ago.
i get mine removed when im 37 weeks. im kind of scared but happy the baby is ok!! thats all im worried about!! and of course he said no sex but im single now so.

M0mmie-08 - 2 days ago.
well i was in the hospital for about 5 days. i had the cerclage. he told me i couldnt work or anything because i was a high risk pregnancy. i still go out though(altrhough im not suppose 2) he told me i was suppose to be bored doing nothing only leaving home for my doctors appontments.. depressing!!

Laying with our baby - 2 days ago.
hi mommie 08, what kind of bed rest or activity did your doctor prescribe. i had an emergency cerclage placed at 21 weeks, but I'm just wondering for future pregnancies on what kind of bed rest or activity i can do?

M0mmie-08 - 3 days ago.
I had a cerclage when I was about 17 weeks.. I'm now 28 weeks. I forget I even have the stitch thing there. I'm just happy my lil miracle is ok!!

sugarmomma - 3 days ago.
I get my cerclage out in the morning.... EEEEK!! Doc says baby is done cookin. Time to unlock his jail cell. We'll see if he's ready to stroll on out :)

Laying with our baby - 5 days ago.
i have read that it is variable to each incompetent cervix as to when you will go into labor once your stitch is removed. I have read some people go into labor a few days aftewards and some go past their due date! the good thing about it is that your baby has made it thus far, is healthy, and you no longer have to be on strict bed rest!

ayesha - 5 days ago.
hi, i just had a quick question... how soon after getting the stitch removed does it take to go into labour. my stitch is coming out next week!

kimmeym - 7 days ago.
Hi ladies, I'm supposed to have my cerclage placed by either week 14 or 15..still to be confirmed. I have so many questions though...my doctor said that I'd just be required to stay off my feet for about two days and then go back to work. Of course I would have to ensure that I don't do anything strenuous. My question is if you guys were also allowed to go on with normal life or did you have to go on bedrest after getting the cerclage? So many questions...Do you feel any discomfort after getting the stitch? In which week was it placed? Please reply on my page cause I'm really worried about going to work, it's not a strenuous job but I've been on bed rest for almost four weeks now as a precaution till the end of my 1st trimester and I've assured my boss that I'll be back in my second trimester. Is that a realistic possibility?

Carmione - 8 days ago.
Kitti one thing that my dr's were forgetting to do during my biweekly scans in the beginning was a manual exam as well. A transvaginal ultra sound only showed what appeared to be a long closed cervix for me- but ended up being mushy and not strong at all. I didn't understand what they meant until the funneling was noticed and you could see what was actually happening on the screen when she applied a little pressure to the top of my abdomen.

one day - 9 days ago.
KittiLyn...I believe if you went to an imaging center they can do a transvaginal pelvic exam so they can measure the length of your cervix... They typically don't do a cerclage until your around 12 weeks bc god forbid something goes wrong you may rupture the stitches... that's what they told me before. Is there a reason why they may think you have IC??? IF you have a large amount of discharge (it doesnt matter if it's not pinkish/reddish) I would call your obgyn ASAP... that's a sign that I had but everyone wld tell me oh that's just for now it'll get better! Call the dr if you feel anything that seems weird to you! It's definitely better to be precautious! I hope this helped! Good luck!!!

KittyLynn20 - 9 days ago.
I need sum advice ppl!!! I just got call from the clinic im going to for my prenatal care since yesterday was 1st appt my doctor told me there was no way to know yet if i have IC cuz im only have 7 wks so that we will have to wait and she would have a closer look at my cervix everytime i had an appt and if she saw anything changing she would refer me to a specialist for the cerclage but 2day they just called me and said that im gonna have an ultrasound 4 my next appt which is in 4 wks and and if they saw the cervix thinnig they would do the cerclage right away but my questions is what if my cervix looks fine by then but starts thinnig out later dont you think it would be better if i just get the cerclage anyway for prevention or does it affect me sumhow if i dont need it? Please tell me what would you do.

Carmione - 10 days ago.
Cerclage came out with no troubles and that makes me happy. Only dilated to 1cm and 50% effaced, but that will pass soon enough. We got to come home to get some more rest and spend some quiet time together just hubby and I ...heck we're still newly weds! A couple movies and a pizza-laid back just the way I like it. Thanks all for the kind words and thoughts and prayers.

KittyLynn20 - 10 days ago.
Can someone tell me how much did it cost you or woulda cost you if u didnt have insurance the stitch surgery and the whole procedure? I am PG right now i only have 7 wks and the dr. told she still didnt know if i have is IC since ive only had one miscarriage at 19 wks but i'm worried cuz we're paying everything out of our pockets and we wanna know if that was the case how much we would need. So if anybody has any idea at least approx. it would help a lot. Thanks.

Melissa83 - 10 days ago.
Thank you for that comment. That made me feel better cuz he makes me feel like I'm being over excitted!!! At my last appt at 30 weeks, my dr. told me if i was to have her she'd live, but may need to be in the nicu for a lil bit, but he said, that she's alot bigger than she is supposed to be. So i'm thinking with in the next week or soo, screw it i'm gonna start getting things!!! :)

mommy2anangel14 - 10 days ago.
Melissa, We started buying big items around 28 weeks. My DR said that as long as I made it to that marker, the baby should do just fine if he was to be born early. Now I'm 36 weeks and 3 days along and still holding on. I think you'll be safe to buy items, but I'm sure he's just scared. I know when I lost my first, I was thankful that I hadn't completed the nursery and things like that.. b/c that would just be a huge reminder of our plans being washed away. Anyway, I'll be praying for you!!

Melissa83 - 11 days ago.
Hey ladies..with IC how soon did you start buying things for your babies? I'm almost 31 weeks, and want to start getting stuff ready since we all know how ic works, and i have 6 weeks till my cerclage comes out. But my husband is freaking out about not buying anything until my lil girl is born. He says that something could still happen. And i tried explaining to him, at this point it could happen to anyone!! Any suggestions??!! Please help, my husband is driving me NUTS!!!! LOL Why can't we just have normal pregnancy's like everyone else!!!

sugarmomma - 12 days ago.
Yea LENA, I dont think its rare at all. I hear about it all the time now. What's bad is that most women have to lose a child first before they know they have it. OB docs dont even mention it or routinely check for it. I learned that they can... they just dont. If you're not showing signs of early labor or bleeding or weird discharge, they're not gonna check to see if your cervix is shortening or funneling. Like you, we're a military family too. The only reason I know I have IC is because its mandatory in military healthcare for OB doc to refer pregnant women over 35 yrs old to a Perinatal doc for care. My Peri doc is the one who checked for it, diagnosed it, gave me a cerclage for it, and monitors it every 2 weeks. Makes me cringe to think that if I was just a couple years younger than I am now, I may have lost my baby to IC simply because I wouldnt have a Peri doc and my OB doc wouldn't routinely check for it. Yikes!!

mommy2anangel14 - 12 days ago.
Hello ladies! Had my cerclage taken out today :) Hurt only a tid bit.. like getting a papsmear. Dr says he thinks I'll be a week overdue :-/ I sure hope not!!! Just wondering when those of you who had a cerclage and already had their babies went in to labor?? I read a couple of stories about you all being overdue too. Thanks!!

melo74 - 13 days ago.
Hello to all, Just wanted to write and let y'all know that I have my cerclage removed in the morning at 8:00. I am so excited and am hoping and praying that things will progress quickly!!! My luck, my baby girl will want to stay in for a few more weeks! Good luck to all of you!

lena619 - 15 days ago.
hay ladies I am in the military and I am finding out that alot of other ladies have the same problem as I have had with incompetent cervix . doctor states it's rare but how rare ? are there any ladies out there in the service that have had this problem or know of others ?

lena619 - 15 days ago.
hay ladies I am in the military and I am finding out that alot of other ladies have the same problem as I have had with incompetent cervix . doctor states it's rare but how rare ? are there any ladies out there in the service that have had this problem or know of others ?

one day - 17 days ago.
Hi ladies... I was told by the ER dr that I m/c bc of IC... My obgyn doesn't think that was the cause bc I told her I had cramping... by the time I went into the maternity ward from the ER... it was too late... she sent me for a bunch of blood work to ck for a clotting disorder and if that comes up neg and rule everything else out then... she said it might be IC... huh! any comments ??

roosa - 20 days ago.
kevana, wow, what an experience you have been through. Must have been hard and scary. So glad you do have 2 healthy children but sorry for your loss! I can surely relate to your anxiety towards getting pregnant again. Sometimes I wonder if it is fair to my other son - what if I need bedrest? My mother would come to help but I would still feel so bad and guilty. On the other hand I really want him to have a sibling. I am thinking about all this and I don't even know for sure if I have IC. *sigh*