Incompetent Cervix

Description

An incompetent cervix is basically a cervix that is too weak to stay closed during a pregnancy and results in the premature opening of the cervix without labour or contractions . This causes preterm labour and possibly the loss of the baby . Cervical incompetence is estimated to be the cause of 20 - 25 % of all second trimester (pregnancy months 3-6) losses.

Risk Factors

Factors that increase the likelihood of suffering from an incompetent cervix include:

• DES exposure.
• Cervical Trauma (or damage to the cervix ).
• Hormonal influences (cf. Hormones in Pregnancy ).
• Congenitally short cervix.
• Forced D & C .
• Uterine anomalies.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis is generally manual or with an ultrasound . If an incompetent cervix is diagnosed, a cerclage (stitching the cervix closed) can be performed at approximately 14-16 weeks. However a cerclage will not be performed if the woman suffers/suffered from any of the following:

• Hyperirritability of the cervix.
• Your baby has already died.
• The cervix is more than 4 cm dilated.
• Your water is broken .

Although the success rates for a cerclage can be very high (80-90%), particularly when done earlier in a pregnancy, the procedure also carries with it certain risks:

• Premature rupture of membranes (1-9%).
• Chorioamnionitis (1-7%). This risk increases as the pregnancy progresses and is at 30% for a cervix that is dilated more than 3 cms.
• Preterm Labour .
• Cervical laceration or amputation. This can be at the procedure or at the delivery, from scar tissue that forms on the cervix.
• Bladder Injury (rare)
• Maternal haemorrhage.
• Cervical dystocia.
• Rupture of the uterus.

The information in this page is presented in summarised form and has been taken from the following source(s) :

1.Pregnancy at About.com: http://pregnancy.about.com/