Incompetent cervix...I hate that word!

• 06-23-2009 3:21 AM

  Brittany3443256 Joined on 06-23-2009 Posts 4

  Incompetent cervix...I hate that word! Reply Contact Hey everyone, my name is Brittany I am no 18 weeks. My husband and I are expecting our first baby and we were beyond excited up until 2 weeks ago. At my 16 week check up I felt a lot of abdominal pain and I figured that I was being paranoid and that the baby was fine. Well come to find out I was wrong. My doctor told me I had an Incompetent cervix. My cervix was between 2.7 to 2.4 and he assured me that 2.5 and over is ok but under 2.5 is not so I thought that since some of my measurements were above 2.5 everything should be fine. I was put on bed rest and by the end of the day the pain got too unbearable so my husband took me to the hospital and they told me cervix had shortened to 2.3 cm and I was dialated 1 cm. I didn't know what to think anymore they were sure I was going to have a misscarriage over the weekend. So They sent me to the italian hospital , I live in italy by the way. My hubby is in the military. They sent me there because the hospital on base couldn't deal with a misscarriage. Well the italian doctor told me I was fine and that I had a severe uti, so ofcourse I felt relieved. Well a week later I went back into the base hospital for a check up and the doc said the italian doc did the ultrasound wrong because the italian doc said my cervix was 3.8 not 2.3 so of course I was confused. He said they pushed to hard on the cervix and it made it look bigger on the ultrasound but the reality was my cervix was still short. Luckily it went up to between 2.4 to 2.47 and it's no longer at 2.3 so I am still on bed rest but he didn't seem too concerned like he did last time. So I am just curious if anyone here has an ic as well and what happened or is happening because there arent many americans over here so I feel very alone with this, it seem slike no other women that lives here has heard of this. I am just copletely scared out of my mind and I keep thinking of the worst.

• 06-23-2009 6:17 AM

  In reply to

  RAL3306858 Joined on 03-13-2009 NJ Posts 83

  Re: Incompetent cervix...I hate that word! Reply Contact Hi Brittany,  Welcome.  My name is Ruth Ann and I hate that word too!!!!  I am sorry to hear you are dealing with such a scary situation.  You are not alone!  I am not a doctor or IC expert by any means but my story is a bit similar to yours.  I mostly post in the 'bearing with bedrest' and July board since that is when I am due. The women on this site have helped me through a lot of tough days and it is SO helpful to vent to others who can relate.  This is also my first pregnancy and like you was walking on clouds until I went for my 20 week u/s.  They saw that my cervix was 2.4.  They hooked me up to the monitor and saw I was having minor contractions.."irritable uterus"...to which this day I don't understand.  Anyways, I went back the following week and had dropped to 1.6.  I was put on bed rest and a few medications - Progesterone suppositories and Procardia.  They measured my cervix bi-weekly until about 32 weeks.  They also did what is called an FFN (fetal fibroctein) test bi-weekly starting at 24 weeks.  This is a swab test that can detect if your body is producing a substance that is associated with going into labor.  If the test is negative, you are 99% in the clear for the next two weeks, if positive, not all gloom and doom but they can take precautions such as steriod shots to mature the babies lungs.  As far as the bed rest well, there are a lot of differing options on that.  In my practice alone there are three doctors..one is all about it, another is half anf half and another does not feel it is effective.  I used my own judgement and stayed off my feet, on the couch pretty faithfully until I was at a safer point, 32/34 weeks.  Ironically, my cervix has not changed ONE bit since it dropped to a 1.6.  They still do not know if I really even have IC or if it was a totally isolated incident.  I will be 38 weeks on Thursday and am now out and about enjoying the last few weeks of my preganancy!!!  So, in summary, my advice is to take it easy for sure, ask about medications such as progesterone and FFN tests...and most importantly, keep your spirtis up.  I had many sad days where I just wanted to give up.  Each week gets easier and easier.  Honestly.  I know it does not feel like that right now.  And, check into the bearing with bedrest board.  The ladies on there are great and have similar stories.  Hang in there!!!!

• 06-23-2009 6:30 AM

  In reply to

  Brittany3443256 Joined on 06-23-2009 Posts 4	Re: Incompetent cervix...I hate that word! Reply Contact thanks for the support it's nice to know that I could make as far as you have, it seems like all doctors have to say is negative things. I'm just gonna keep up with this bed rest a pray that everything will work out

• 06-23-2009 8:02 AM

  In reply to

  RAL3306858 Joined on 03-13-2009 NJ Posts 83	Re: Incompetent cervix...I hate that word! Reply Contact Sure, anytime.  This site also has a good IC forum:  http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/encyclopedia/I/Incompetent-Cervix/  Lots of success stories :).

• 06-23-2009 9:55 AM

  In reply to

  Carmen2145605 Joined on 03-22-2009 Posts 105

  Re: Incompetent cervix...I hate that word! Reply Contact Hi Brittany, My name is Carmen and like Ruth Ann I spend alot of my time posting in the "bearing with bedrest" board. My story is relatively long so I am going give it to you in a nutshell! This is my second pregnancy. I lost my first at 18 weeks due to IC back in 07. I recieved a rescue cerclage at 18 weeks and my water bag broke due to the procedure and the pregnancy was no longer viable. This time around I got a cerclage at 14 weeks and everything was going well until around 19 weeks. My cervix had shortned significantly 1.8 cm and I had severe funneling. I was check every week for the next 3 weeks and the cervix remained about the same. At my 24 week u/s my cervix was down to .7cm obviously not good. So every week for the next month I had a speculum check to make sure I was not dialted. At my 27th week I was barely 1 cm dilated then the following week it had closed! Since my 28th week appoint, I have been going to the doctor every 2 weeks and my cervix has not dilated...its thin, but closed. The cerclage is still in and intact...thankfully because that is saving the the baby from coming out. I am 33 weeks 2morow and my cerclage comes out at 36 weeks! Granted, the entire time I have been on modified to strict bedrest (since 19 weeks) for 14 weeks! It has been a long and challenging road. But my testimony is that I am further along than any of my doctors imagined. Having your cervical length above 2cm is still good. I imagine that you are on bedrest or some type of restrictions. I never had contractions during the pregnancy like some others, but I am getting progesterone shots weekly, which is usually given to people who are at risk for preterm delivery. Other than that I have gestaional diabetes which I take insulin and very mild if any hypertension. Stay low and listen to your body....I hope everything goes well with you Carmen