ghost or anyone: shortened cervix

[acornmom]

I had another u/s this week (yesterday). I am 23w3days pregnant with twin girls. Twin A is VERY low in the pelvic region and in a tight little ball (her knees are up to her chin). Twin B however is our little acrobat that is all over the rest of my stomach. (she really likes my belly button). Both look very good and are growing well (1.4 and 1.6 lbs) HOWEVER<
they said my cervix is shortened. (from 3. something to 2.8 i think is what they said?) They want me to come back next week just to have the cervix checked again. I just wondered... is it possible for Baby A to be causing the shortening? Should I be really concerned regarding the shortening? I have no symptoms of preterm labor (nor do I want any)
Then also pressed on my pelvic region to simulate a contraction (while looking at the cervix) and no thinning or opening or funneling was noted.
Anyone else have anything like this? What do you think ghost? Thanks everyone!

[dys24]

Hi acornmom,

I just wanted to share my experience with a short cervix. They found mine at about 20 weeks it was 2.7 cm and had me come back week later and it dropped to 2 cm i was addmited to the hospital and they found that i had contractions which i didnt feel at all. They gave me pills to stop the contraction and i was put on complete bedrest and my cervix has been stable and now I'm 30 weeks with no major change i think its about 1.8 now. In my case it was probably the contractions along with a weak cervix that caused the change but there are many reasons for a cervix to be short. I'm pregnant with 1 but i know with multiples is much more common. Also an infection can cause the cervix to change, not sure if they checked yuou for that you might want to ask. Also, they perscribed me prometrium vaginally 200mg once a night which helps to strengthen the cervix, so you might want to ask them about that. Thankfully if they catch a short cervix early they can do a lot of interventions to stop it from shortening and you still have a very good length left and its great news that you have no funneling present when the press your belly. I hope you will have good news at your next check up.

[TwinMommy]

Just wanted to share my story as well. I was pregnant with twins as well then at 20 weeks my cervix was 3.0 but I was having contractions. My baby A was right on the cervix (her head) and could not move off of it. Well I was on bed rest from then on out in and out of the hospital trying to stop the contractions. I delivered at 31 weeks with my twin girls. They are happy and healthy so all is well. Later they discovered I had some Endometriosis which could be why my uterus would not expand as well. BUT Baby A and her head were the reason why my cervix kept getting shorter and shorter. She was just eager to get out! If they put you on bed rest DO IT I was not the best at it and I think that is another reason they were so early.

[london]

Hello
My experience withb short cervix has been probably the worse but with lots of praying and bedrest I am still holding on. My cervix started to short a t 15 weeks so I had a cerclage perform and was on moderate bedrest up until I was 18 weeks when I started to funnel through the stitch because the stitch was not holding so at 20 weeks I had a emergency cerclage place and that was really scary because I was 3 cm dialatedwith the membranes bulging out and docs warned me that the membranes can rupture and I can get infection. The surgery was sucessful and my cervix a week ago was measuring at 3.3 cm which is a miracle for me. I am now almlost 25 weeks and pray everyday just for making it through another day.

My advice to you is to take it easy and relax as much as possible.

[london]

oh and baby A is lying on my cervix too and not moving

[chriss]

Add me to the short cervix club. Just got back from OB today. I am just about 26 weeks and my cervix is 2.5
I am pregnant with twins and I've been having contractions for a long time now. I am so scared. This is very difficult. I hear many good stories so let's encourage each other. BTW I am on modified bedrest since 20 weeks.

[Rosario]

My experience with a shorten cervix was for the worse. At 20w1d I noticed increased amt of discharge (clear-ish color)... I was seen for an urgent visit 2 days later with some cramping. That day I was 1cm dilated... wasn't told about this and told to return for my appt the next day with my high-risk provider. I was checked again this day (20w4d) and my doctor decided to put me on bed rest due to the dilation. To top that off I got an emergency u/s which also showed my cervix was 1.9cm from 4-5 I was originally. That Sat (21w) I had cramping for 3+hrs. Decided to call doc on call but was told if i was in labor nothing could be done. Was told to stay home and take tylenol. I went to another hospital and was checked again... No change- 1 cm dialated. Cramping stopped for the next 3 days... at 21w3d i was home and had a lot of cramping. Came off and on but did not think anything of it since it was just "cramps." I decided to wait until the next day because I had an appt with the doctor. While i was on my way there I kept having these "cramps" every 1-2 mins. I saw my doctor and was checked he said the bed rest has been working very well since there was some length to my cervix and was closed. He asked what I wanted to do since I was in so much pain and I explained I wasn't so sure anymore. He went ahead and sent me to L&D. Was monitored and checked around 3 hrs later. I was 3cm dilated and was told nothing could be done. I was admitted but because I was very early I could not have any medication to stop contractions and was denied a cerclage because i was already dilated. I delivered 3 beautiful babies at 21w5d (all born alive) because I was denied medication and/or a cerclage.

I am sorry because i share my story which didn't end in success but london's story moved me. Her doctors did whatever was possible to fight the preterm labor although she has bulging membranes and was 3 cm dilated. If anyone feels a change during their pregnancy please fight for doctors to check you even if they are against it. It's our body and our babies. My doctors didn't believe in medicine to stop contractions, bedrest, or a cerclage. Now I am left with 3 beautiful angels in heaven. Please remember to listen to your body and trust your instints.

[Rosario]

...

[sha1]

This past March my experience with a shorten cervix/pre-term labor was also for the worse.

I had a miscarriage at 8 weeks and lost my twins (boy and girl) at 22 weeks on 3/7/09 due to Pre-Term labor.

I was just released from the fertility doctor to a general OB/GYN. He did all kind of testing including a extensive 2 hour ultra sound at 18 weeks. Everything was looking great my cervix measure at 4.5 which is great (for my age 41 at the time and twins). A few days later I was also experiencing a clearish color discharge, but didn’t think anything of it.
I was scheduled for my regular appointment in a few days so I didn’t even bother to call and just waited for the appointment. I arrived at the office; spoke with the Nurse and mentioned to her about the discharge. I was then in the office the doctor he was giving me the details of the ultra sound saying how great I am doing and he said as soon as the nurse comes into the room I will check you since you are having a discharge. He proceeds to check me and stopped, all he could see was exposed membrane. I was then asked to call my husband and he rushed me to the hospital.

I arrived at the hospital around 11:00 AM where they check me and said my cervix was (.08) from 4.5; about a week ago I was now 19 weeks. The SAC was already thru and into my vigina. The doctor did put me on medication to stop contractions (which I didn’t even know I was having; no other children). I was admitted to the hospital and they were hoping that the SAC would go back up and my cervix would lengthen and then they would do a cerclage a few days later. Well that never happened my water broke that evening at 11:30 PM but my cervix remained closed. That this point the doctor didn’t know what to do, so he told my family to come back in the morning and they would make a decision. I live in NJ, so the high risk team came in early that next morning and gave me three options, go to Philadelphia, or two hospitals in New York for treatment. They were trying to save baby B since that baby’s water didn’t break. I picked Philadelphia since that is where I did IVF.

After being transported to another hospital in Philadelphia I spoke with the high risk doctors the only thing that we could do was to wait and see what happens. If we were to chose to eliminate baby A we are putting baby B at risk. So the only thing to do was to wait and see what happens. If I would have made it to 24 week they could have saved my babies. I was admitted to Philadelphia where they gave me IV antibiotics for five days then I was released and told to see my RE weekly to check the babies. I was on bed rest and had to take my temperature every four hours to make sure an infection did not set in. If an infections set-in I was told I had to deliver both babies because there was a chance that I would die from the infection. I could not be on any kind of antibiotic or medication to stop contraction. They would only mass the infections if I was to get one.

Well I made it 3 weeks at home. One evening I started bleeding; I was then sent back to the hospital where I was there for a few day and end up delivering both babies at 22 weeks. They were too small and could not be saved. They both lived for about 1 hour each (boy and girl). My son was born at 1:20 AM and my daughter was born at 12:30 in the afternoon. Following delivery I was rushed to the ER to deliver the placenta then I was given a blood transfusion that following morning.

If I would have made it to 24 weeks I was going to be admitted to Jefferson in Philadelphia until I delivered. They were going to inject saline to baby A so he could continue to move.
My husband and I and both grandmoms were able to hold and say good bye and tell them that we loved them.
I will never forget them, I go and visit their grave every week; it does get easier as time goes by.

If there is anything I can do to help you please let me know?

[faith77]

Hi All-
I am glad to see I am not the only one w/ a shortened cervix- I am pregnant w/ boy/girl twins and baby A (boy) head is so low that when doing the u/s to view my cervix his entire head is on the screen w/ my cervix. Last week (25 wks)10/14 I saw my high risk OB and was put on scheduled rest due to shortening- I had gone from 4.7 to 3.2 in 2 weeks. I went to my regular OB yesterday and it had shortened even more, so now I am on modified bedrest. In additon to baby A being so low and near my cervix he also has increased amniotoc fluid that adds even more pressure. The only encouraging thing is that my regualr OB did say that bedrest is not always long term, is that true? if it is I assume that mean the cervix will stop shortening or even get longer? Any clarification would be helpful.

To the ladies that shared their heartfelt stories of losing their babies- you are in my prayers and to those in the same situation as me- I am praying for all of us to carry these babies as long as possible.

[cymplicity27]

We noticed my shortening cervix at 15 weeks. At the time it was at 2.8 cm. Over the next 2 weeks it went down to .59 cm. Two days later I was on the table to get my cerclage and I had started to dilate .5cm The cerclage procedure was successful and left my cervix at 1.9 cm and it's held steady since. I was placed on modified bed rest...I lounge on the couch mostly and get up as often as I want for snacks or whatever. I probably leave the house more than I should....about twice a week but try not to stay out for longer than a couple hours. I know woemen with a much longer cervix who are on strict or even hospital bed rest, but I guess it depends on your doctors and what they think is best for you. I'm also on 200mg of progesterone suppositories that I insert nightly. I think progeterone is suppose to help strengthen the cervix and help to minimize contractions. Most women I know get the P17 shot once a week. So you may want to ask about either of these

I'm pregnant with twins and Baby B has always been snugged in my cervix! I was 100% effaced by 20 weeks and the docs just told me to watch for warning signs and no one knew how long I'd go. I'm currently 32 weeks. They tell me I've surpassed all of their expectations and at this point they can't believe I'm still carrying these babies!

I can't say that it was because of baby b being so low that caused it since it was so early on in my pregnancy. Can't imagine he was heavy enough to affect my cervix. I think it's just a condition that some of us are unlucky enough to have.

The good thing is you are approaching 24 weeks which is the first milestone! And you're not funneling. I know you can probably do nothing but worry at this point but it sounds like you're in good hands and although 2.8 cm isn't the best, it's definitely not the worst!

[acornmom]

Hey there all you shortened cervix girls. Thanks for your support! Here is the latest greatest in my shortened cervix saga. Last week (Monday) I went to work as usual (visiting nurse). I felt "funny" in the pubic region kinda full like when your period is here, but then it felt like bubbles popping. (yeah, I know weird). Then there was a pulsating feeling. Well I called my doc and they wanted to check me out. I went in and was checked to find out the the cervix didn't look like it had done any shrinking ....YEAH HOWEVER, my good doc decided to check me out more and found out that i was 1 - 1 1/2 cm dilated! with a "soft/squishy cervix"
Needless to say off to L&D I went. It was determined throughout my hospitalization I was having contractions anywhere from 2-6 minutes at one point to every 10 minutes (strong contractions). The scary thing was I never felt any of them! I spent Mon-Thurs. in the hospital on IV meds then switched over to pills. I came home Thursday and was placed on modified bedrest. Well, Friday I went to the bathroom only to find a large amount of thick goo when I wiped. Well I knew it had to be the mucous plug "never had anything like that before so we will blame it on the plug. LOL"
I called the doc and back to the L&D I went. They put me on monitors and determined that I was NOT having contractions just VERY active twins. My doc checked again and the cervix (despite being soft and squishy) is not dilated anymore! It is 70% effaced though :O(

I am wondering now if all those contractions they felt that I was having earlier were just the active babies. They had a heck of a time determining if it was uterine activity or just the babies moving. My husband and I were laughing hysterically because every time they put me on the monitors the girls seem like they tag team and kick the crap out of the monitors like "get these things off us". They kick so hard you can see the monitors move!

I go back today to my doc to be checked again. I hope and pray that these little ones stay in for another 5-6 weeks (making it to 35weeks) I keep having the "goo" come out at least once a day but I guess that is ok.

[london]

That is great you are doing fine.

I am trying to hold mines in for another 5 to 6 weeks also so hopefully we can do it/;