Maria Parcels

You visited your obstetrician and they found you to be dilated. You aren’t ready to deliver your baby though, and so your obstetrician has sent you to the hospital to get an ultrasound done. They have also told you about maybe having to get a Cervical Cerclage.

What is a Cervical Cerclage though? What are the risks of a cerclage? Are there other options to keep my baby healthy in me? These are just some of the questions that a pregnant woman may ask herself, among others. 

A Cervical Cerclage is a cervical stitch done to close the opening of cervix in a pre-term pregnant woman. If a pregnant woman is dilated and it is too early in the pregnancy to safely deliver the baby, most doctors’ recommend having a cerclage done. This is not a procedure that is rushed though. It takes time, and your doctor will probably call a specialist in high-risk pregnancies, if he/she does not specialize in it. It will be up to your doctor and the specialist to decide if you, as a pregnant woman are a candidate for a cerclage. The doctors will go over your medical history such as previous pregnancies, family health, etc. Florida Perinatal Associates of Hillsborough County is just one of the high risk obstetrics offices in Tampa Bay that offer the Cervical Cerclage procedure. They are affiliated with University Community Hospital on Fletcher.

If you are found to be a candidate for a cerclage, it may be because you have had a previous pregnancy that resulted in a pre-term delivery, have previously had a cerclage for a past pregnancy, or have an incompetent cervix.  If you have an incompetent cervix, don’t let that affect you emotionally. There is nothing you as a pregnant woman can do about it. It does not reflect on you, it is how your body was built, and you have no control over this. All this means it that your cervix cannot properly hold a baby, and may need some help to keep the baby inside of you.

For a woman that has a history of pre-term delivery, your doctor may recommend you get a cerclage done between weeks 12-14 of your pregnancy. For those women though that have never had a previous pregnancy or had problems with a previous pregnancy, your doctor may send you to the hospital to have an ultrasound done to check the length of your cervix.

If your cervix is indeed found to be dilated or short, your doctor may keep you in the hospital for 24-48 hours. This is when your doctor will confer with a high-risk obstetrician. They will observe you and check you to see if there are any changes with your cervix. If your cervix keeps dilating, you are most likely a candidate for a cerclage.

Some of the risks associated with a cerclage are, premature labor, premature contractions, a cervical infection, Cervical dystocia (the inability for the cervix to dilate naturally throughout the pregnancy), the rupture of your membranes, cervical laceration (if labor happens before the cerclage is removed), and some general risks associated with general anesthesia.

With all the risks associated with a cerclage, a woman might ask herself, what is the point of having it done if they risk going into labor anyway? This depends on when you were found to be dilated.

If you have never been pregnant or had previously been pregnant and had to be on partial to full bed rest, it depends on when you are found to be dilated. If you are between 20-30 weeks pregnant, you might be a candidate for a cerclage. If you are between 30-36 weeks pregnant, your doctor may recommend that you be put on partial to full bed rest for the rest of your pregnancy. And may mean you have to stay on bed rest in the hospital so that they can closely monitor you.

Don’t think of staying at the hospital as a bad thing. At a hospital you and your baby are the staff’s only concern, and you will have help day and night if you need anything or if a problem arises. It all depends on your medical history, and your body. Only you and your doctor can decided what is best for you and your baby.

If you have decided to go ahead with the procedure, your doctor will likely recommend you for partial to full bed rest. Partial bed rest is 4 hours in a reclined position, while full bed rest is 8 hours in a reclined position.

If you are still undecided about having the procedure, talk to other health professionals. Some health professionals at the hospital where you are going to deliver your baby may be able to help you. Ask to see both the specialist and your regular doctor for assurance on the procedure if you are still in the hospital. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. The doctors are there for you and only want what is best for you, the patient, and you baby.