Planning a Baby  Discussion Forum

Hi Archie,

How are you. How is advait. Hope you are doing fine.

I have completed 33 weeks without any problem till date. Yesterday i had to travel a bit. I did so in train around 40 KM and also took a auto. After coming home i was feeling tired and felt pressure/pain in my vagina. It was there only when i walk or sit and was quite alright if i lie down. White discharge was normal. Today morning I was bit tensed about it and met my doctor. She said it seems okay but i might be having short cervix. She gave me a betnisol injection and asked me to take rest. I am supposed to repeat the same injection tomorrow. She told that there is a small chance that there could be premature labour. She has asked me to take rest. She also told that it is not very sure that i am having short cervix. She said taking precautions. Also my cervix length as measured in 23 weeks was 42 MM. I had scan at 31 weeks and they did not put the cervix measurement but told everything is normal.

I want to know

1)What is short cervix ? If possible please explain to me in detail
2) What general precautions should i take
3) how severe is it ?
4) if at all i go to labour what complications could occur(doctor tells its preferable to avoid labour for 3 more weeks. But if i do go into labour it seems its alirght)

Thanks again,
Meenu Archie replied. Dear Meenu,
I have been thinking about you for a long time and here you are with your week 33 updates.

Don't get too concerned about short cervix. I know it's sometime can lead to preterm but not in all cases. I know a girl here on IP recently found her cervix short on week 29 u/s and she managed to take pregnancy to full term. Of course her Dr. was great he monitored pregnancy very close. Your Dr. seem nice one as well and with that you should be without worries.

What's short cervix, basically in third trimester at the end (anywhere after 36 weeks) your fetus and body will start producing prostaglandins which will help thinning cervix and this is what called short cervix.

Preterm labor can be concern for those who are associated with not good hospitals, as long as you are with an expert OB and going to be in well equipped hospital babies born with 28 weeks gestation have 100% chances. The preterm is something Dr. don't want because lungs are not fully matured and this means some preterm born babies have to spend a few days in NICU. But injections will help stop continuing thinning your cervix and you will have great chance to finish week 36.

What you can do meanwhile?
Do not over do or do not do lot of work.
Stay out of sex.
Just a mild exercise like walk for about 30 minutes.
Try to rest as much as you can.
In case water breaks without delay go to hospital.
In case you get contractions, time them. If they are regular and spaced about 5 minutes and intensity increases from contraction to contraction, then go to hospital.

It's difficult to say whether you will go in to labor, but with injections I hope you don't get in to that. If possible have an ultrasound between week 34 and 35 to see placental function. Reinforce on cervix measurement as long as it's larger than 3 cm you are fine. Even if that's 2.5 cm or above you will manage to finish week 36.

If possible ask your Dr. to give you a test called Fetal Fibronectin, this way you will know if you are going to go in labor in next 14 days. Negative test will set your mind at ease. If the test is positive your Dr. should give you Surfactant injections to make your babys lung mature ahead of time and make all easy for delivery and later.

Archie naveena replied. Hi meena
How are u??
After aloooooong time,Howhave u been all these days,I read ur message to Archie.
Actually i delivered my Daughter in the 36th wek bcs water Broke,we were qite Afraid but by God's grace Everything was fine.
Now she is in the forth month(Intially when shewas born shehad Jaundice but then she was Ok).
So when is ur duedate??
Are u still in Banglore or in chennai at mother's place.TAke rest as ur Docter told you.
wat else,Any idea how suba is??I felt sooooo bad reading abt it though i don't know hersooooo well.
Take care
Reply when u get time
NAveena