Another learning session brought to you by the letter C

First of all, thank you thank you thank you for all of your kind words, they have helped a ton! Second, did any of you guys watch Sesame Street when you were little? (Is it still on?) At the end they always said the show was brought to you by the letter ____ or the number ____. Well, I've had a lot of people write and ask me what the heck a cerclage was, and why they would do one. So this prompted my lame butt to do some additional info searching of my own. I was pretty familiar with them because we do them sometimes at work when I'm assigned up in L & D, but I still am always happy to learn some more. So bear (or bare as my behind will be early Wednesday in front of a room of people I know with me wide awake, eekk, hehe!) with me as I share some of what I came across. This may be a little boring so feel free to skip in your not in school mode, but rather weekend as I should be!

This session is brought to you by the letter "C." Cerclage, crazy cervix, you get the picture!

What is cervical cerclage?

Approximately 1% of pregnancies are complicated by an incompetent cervix. Treatment for cervical incompetence is a surgical procedure called cervical cerclage, in which the cervix is sewn closed during pregnancy. The cervix is the lowest part of the uterus and extends into the vagina.
When a woman’s cervix is weak (sometimes called an incompetent cervix) she is more likely to have a baby born prematurely because the cervix shortens or opens too early. In order to prevent premature labor, a woman’s doctor may recommend a cervical cerclage. A cerclage is used to prevent these early changes in a woman’s cervix, thus preventing premature labor.



Cerclage can be done preventively at 12 to 14 weeks before the cervix thins out, or as an emergency measure after the cervix has thinned. It is rarely used after 24 weeks. The success rate for cervical cerclage is approximately 80-90% for elective cerclages, and 40-60% for emergent cerclages (therapuetic as mine will be falls somewhere in between). A cerclage is considered successful if labor and delivery is delayed to at least 37 weeks (full term)


What are the risks of having a cerclage placed?

The likelihood of risks occuring is very minimal, and most health professionals feel a cerclage is a life saving procedure that outweighs the possible risks involved. Possible risks could include:

* Premature contractions
* Cervical dystocia (inability of the cervix to dilate normally in the course of labor)
* Rupture of membranes
* Cervical infection
* Cervical laceration if labor happens before the cerclage is removed

Why doesn’t every woman who has had a preterm baby need a cerclage?

Only women with an abnormal or “incompetent” cervix can be helped by a cerclage. However, even with the help of a cerclage, other problems can cause labor to begin too early. Women who have a cerclage placed will need to be checked routinely for other complications such as infection and preterm labor.

What causes an incompetent or weakened cervix?

A weakened cervix can be caused by one or more of the following conditions:

* Previous surgery on the cervix
* Damage during a difficult birth
* Malformed cervix or uterus from a birth defect (like a unicornuate uterus in my case)
* Previous trauma to the cervix, such as a D&C (dilation and curettage) from a termination or a miscarriage
What about future pregnancies?

Most women who need a cerclage in one pregnancy will need to have a cerclage placed in future pregnancies.

Well, that is truly all the boring information I can take for one Sunday, how about you? Until then, I will get caught up on some more books, continue to park my butt on the couch, watch my husband do all the things I can't do, and fill out some paperwork for my job leave. Hope everyone is having a great weekend, and thanks for keeping me in your thoughts. That really helps a lot these days!