What if you were told that you had an incompetent cervix?
Seems kinda rude and how does this doctor know about the abilities of my cervix, yet this is a diagnosis that is given to many when the risk of preterm labor or worse can occur.
Incompetent cervix or also termed insufficient cervix is a term given when the cervix is shortened or even effaced (thinned out) when the pregnant person is not near a full term pregnancy. The length of the cervix changes during pregnancy and is normally checked at 18-20 weeks of gestation and normal measurement is 40mm. When the cervix is short or measures 25mm, the risk is higher.
How much of your cervix do you truly know?
- a cervix tends to measure at 25 mm and is closed when not pregnant
- when pregnant, the cervix lengthens and changes during the pregnancy where it will also thin and shorten and open over time as you prepare for delivery
What causes a short cervix?
- any trauma or rupture to the cervix
- could also be congenital or something you’re born with. My mom had a preterm labor with her first daughter, my sister and I was diagnosed with an insufficient cervix with my first pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage, so maybe a genetic component?
Just as there are many things that are not common knowledge for many with a cervix, having an understanding of what a short cervix is, what could cause it, the symptoms included and possible remedies for them are just as important to know and understand when going into a pregnancy.
Would be interested to know…have you ever been diagnosed with a short cervix before and did that diagnosis make you feel a little less than capable of your pregnant body?
Ref: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/short-cervix#diagnosis