Cervical length check?

Question

I am in my 26th week i have a high risk pregnancy i'm already one centimeter dilated. With my last child i started dilating at 28 weeks and was hospitalized until 34 weeks to ensure baby's safety.

So 3 months ago for the 4th ,5th, and 6th months of pregnancy i was having a cervical length check with the abdominal ultrasound at my doctor's office.Unfortunately 2 weeks ago i went with lots of pelvic pressure to the hospital and i was 1 cm dilated. But now im on bedrest but one problem ive always heard doctors say that checking your cervix with their fingers can actually make you dilate more.So the avoid checking me as much as they can to avoid further dilation as long as i don't have pain.But my problem is i dilate with no pain with my first child i was 3 cm at 28 weeks and i felt no pain at all! they just found out cause some pressure i was having that some people say its normal to have. So now everytime i have pain or pressure i want them to check me with the transvaginal ultrasound not their hands but they say no for some reason but I don't want them to make it worse and make me dialte even more when im probably the same just feeling pressure. But with me i always have to be cautious cause it can signal true or just false dilating. I want the doctors everytime i go to check me with the ultrasound but they wont listen what do i do? i have insurance it pays for everything so what is their problem?

Answer 1

I have no clue what there problem is but maybe you want to switch doctors I have the same problem as you do and with my first pregnancy they checked me every week even when I was dilated they checked with trans-vaginal ultrasound and now that I am pregnant with my second they check me every two weeks with TVU. I don't know if they told you but what you have is called incompetent cervix and if they had been on top of it they would have suggested having a cerclage (a stitch in your cervix) placed between 12 and 16 wks to help keep your cervix closed.  But if they continue to deny your request find another doctor IC is nothing to play with !

Answer 2

I know it is late in your pregnancy but I would see if I couldn't get a second opinion. I agree they should be able to check you with an ultrasound. My question is since you are high risk due to your cervix dilating early in your previous pregnancy, that to me points to an incompetent cervix, why did they not perform a cerclage on you this time???  

Answer 3

I am facing that very same issue right now!  I went into preterm labor and delivered my first child at 21 weeks gestation.  My second pregnancy I had no symptoms and then one day at 27 weeks gestation I had one hard contraction so I called and went straight in to my doctor (I had one more contraction on the way there).  I was checked and was 4 cm dilated (after only 2 contractions!) and had to be admitted immediately and a day later I delivered my girl.

I am pregnant again.  This time I had a wonderful doctor who planned to check cervical length every two weeks and then I was forced to switch doctors and hospitals due to insurance issues.  My new doctor doesn't really want to do cervical length ultrasounds but offers freely to check me manually instead.  I too have always heard that a manual check can make you dilate and so I REALLY want to stick with CL ultrasounds instead.  He keeps resisting when I ask for a cervical length by ultrasound and I cannot figure out why he is so against it.  He did hint once that he didn't want to do it because he or I was not the one paying for it.  What on earth does that mean?  I have good insurance, and I'm PAYING for that insurance to cover me, so what's his deal?  I have made it to 28 weeks and am extremely cautious and want as much information as I can gather about the condition of my body - and I don't want to do anything that could MAKE me start dilating.  The reasons I have delivered so early and what has caused it are unknown so shouldn't the doctors be willing to do anything that might give us a heads up?

I have decided to switch doctors again and find someone who is more helpful and more concerned about finding answers and being careful with my exams.  If I cannot find one who is on the same page with me I am going to demand the ultrasound for my own peace of mind and stick with my argument that it is better to play it safe with my body.  It IS important to follow your instincts because you're the one who fully understands your history and how your body feels.  Do not let them talk you out of procedures that you think are important because if you deliver too early you will regret not demanding the best care you could get at the time which might have prevented such an early delivery.  I say find a new doctor who is more open-minded and willing to work with you.  It will bring you peace of mind - and you have enough to worry about already besides fighting with your doctors.

By the way, my first doctor and I concluded that not only do I NOT have an incompetent cervix, but it would be very dangerous to give me a cerclage (stitch up the cervix) because I apparently dilate without feeling any pain.  If I had a cerclage I could dilate without knowing it and it would rip the stitches and be very dangerous for me.  If you dilate without feeling it then a cerclage could be dangerous for you.  I have consulted with 3 different high-risk specialists, one thought I should have a cerclage and the other two agreed that a cerclage would be very dangerous for me.  You will get different opinions from everybody but I felt very uncomfortable with a cerclage because of the risks and looked for a doctor who agreed with me.  A majority of regular OB/GYN's thought I had incompetent cervix and most women I talk to ask if I don't have an incompetent cervix, but I don't, so don't let anyone tell you that that's the solution because it may not be the case.  Good Luck!

Answer 4

I am a high risk pregnancy and I get the ultrasound every 2 weeks to check my cervix.  I would demand it, you don't want to go into premature labor and worry about loosing your baby!  If that doctor won't do it find one who will!