I have a scary decision to make...

[EuphoricDysphoria]

Please give me your honest opinions.

Backstory:

With DD I was between 28-32 weeks (I can't remember) when I went to my OB appointment and was told I was 4cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was placed on bedrest and told to try and make it to 37 weeks. After that I could do whatever I pleased.

On May 27th (my due date as June 15th) I went to the hospital because DD wasn't moving as much. They hooked her up to monitors for less then 10 minutes and checked me. They said my water was bulging and DD wasn't responding to labour so they were going to break my water.

She was born 7lbs 8oz with no complications.


Currently:

I am pregnant with our second and I'm being recommended to have a cervical cerclage.


Questions/Fears. I was young and trusted everything I was told but looking back things don't make sense.

1. I wasn't in labour (no contractions) so how was DD no responding to labour?
2. Is that why they broke my water because she "wasn't responding" instead of inducing labour with medication?
3. She was born with no complications and no rush. Meaning, they weren't pushing for an emergency c-section or to have an epidural in place in case of one.
4. Did they break my water for no reason?

Ok, so here's my scary choice.

I have to decide to have the cerclage and have the following risks/results:

-Infection.
-Damage to the cervix during surgery.
-Excessive blood loss.
-Preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM).
-Preterm labor.
-Permanent narrowing or closure of the cervix (cervical stenosis).
-Tearing of the cervix or uterus if labor progresses with the stitches still in place.
-I'll be placed on bedrest from 14 weeks+
-I have to be with a high risk OB.

Or Not having the cerclage:

-Pre-term labour and premie.
-Benefit of having a midwife.

What would you do?

[patooty]

i wouldnt do it

[kristinc]

Sorry if I missed this, but are you having complications already or is this just preventative? And how far along are you?

[robinology]

It sounds way too risky. Too many cons for the cerclage!

[marleysmom1207]

My first was a preemie. They didn't know why, so as prevention I did two things: weekly progesterone injections from 18-36 weeks, and cervical ultrasounds twice a month from 16 - 28 weeks. There is a window for putting in a cerclage, maybe somewhere after around 20 weeks. They should be measuring your cervix and looking for change. My cervix was still long and closed by 24 weeks, so my doctor was confident I did not need a cerclage. My understanding is that a cerclage is only beneficial if you have incompetent cervix, which they should be able to diagnose by closely monitoring your cervical length.

[songbird516]

Sounds too risky for me. You went pretty much full-term last time and may have carried even longer without the induction. I don't see that a cerclage is worth the risk.

[veveland]

Originally Posted by marleysmom1207 My first was a preemie. They didn't know why, so as prevention I did two things: weekly progesterone injections from 18-36 weeks, and cervical ultrasounds twice a month from 16 - 28 weeks. There is a window for putting in a cerclage, maybe somewhere after around 20 weeks. They should be measuring your cervix and looking for change. My cervix was still long and closed by 24 weeks, so my doctor was confident I did not need a cerclage. My understanding is that a cerclage is only beneficial if you have incompetent cervix, which they should be able to diagnose by closely monitoring your cervical length.

This. You should be getting cervical ultrasounds and only offered a cerclage if change is seen. That's a big procedure to do blindly.

[diapermommy]

I wouldn't do it. I looks like you have preemie as a risk in both options, but having it done adds a bunch more risk too.

[EuphoricDysphoria]

I was told it's best to place it between 12-14 weeks as a preventative measure. I guess it's safer when it's not an "emergency situation" and places early as a precaution.

The other con is a higher chance of needing a c-section.

I'm having no problems now. But the specialist wants to place it between 12-14 weeks.

Thanks so much ladies. I was leaning towards not wanting to get it because my pregnancy/birth of my first has some many important unanswered questions. But at the same time I was told "With your first you got lucky, do you really want to take a gamble with your second".

[CntryMama]

I am not trying to scare you but I know someone who did not do it, went into preterm labor and lost their little boy (she was 24 weeks along). Though the risks are high she has done it with her other pregnancy and now has 2 healthy babies - maybe you should get a second opinion from a Doctor (at a different hopsital or clinic).