Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Diagnosing a cervical incompetence
• Method 2 of 3: Get Medical Treatment
• Method 3 of 3: Take Care of Yourself

A small percentage of pregnant women suffer from cervical incompetence, which can lead to a risk of premature birth or miscarriage if left untreated. Cervical incompetence, or ischemic-cervical insufficiency, is most often diagnosed at the beginning of the second trimester, but can also manifest itself at the beginning of the third trimester. The diagnosis can be made during an internal examination by a doctor or by ultrasound.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Diagnosing a cervical incompetence

1. 1 Find out if you are at risk. Women who have already had miscarriages in the second trimester are more likely to have cervical incompetence. It is necessary to tell the doctor about the complications of pregnancy in the early stages or about miscarriages. This is especially important if you've already had a miscarriage in the second trimester. Unfortunately, some women are not diagnosed with cervical incompetence until they have one or two late miscarriages. Knowing these circumstances ahead of time will help your doctor better monitor your condition from the beginning. This can result in early detection of weakening of the cervix, which will increase the chances of prolonging gestation. Any cervical surgery also puts the woman at risk, including surgery following an abnormal cervical smear.
2. 2 Watch for possible symptoms. Sometimes cervical incompetence is asymptomatic, but in some cases, there are certain warning signs. They usually make themselves felt between 14 and 22 weeks of gestation and are manifested by back pain, discharge or sensation of warm moisture in the vagina, a feeling of heaviness in the pelvis, pain when urinating, or a feeling of swelling in the vagina.
3. 3 Contact your obstetrician / gynecologist immediately. While these symptoms may not be related to cervical insufficiency, it's always best to play it safe and let your doctor do a full diagnosis to find out. The procedure may include an ultrasound scan. Remember that a successful diagnosis is based on a past medical history of second trimester miscarriages. If you have been diagnosed with cervical insufficiency, you have several treatment options.

Method 2 of 3: Get Medical Treatment

1. 1 Discuss treatment options with your doctor. He will be able to suggest options - cerclage, pessary, or progesterone treatment - and tell you which one is best for you. Remember that cerclage (stitching the cervix) is by far the most common treatment option, and allows many women with previous miscarriages to successfully carry a baby. The pessary is similar to the outer ring of the diaphragm, changing the angle of the cervix and strengthening it. The last option is progesterone treatment (a weekly treatment with progesterone injections called hydroxyprogesterone caproate).
2. 2 Discuss with your doctor if a series of ultrasounds would be appropriate. Using an ultrasound scan every three weeks during the second trimester of pregnancy, the doctor can track the risk of cervical incompetence. If he sees warning signs, then he may prescribe you a cerclage or a course of progesterone therapy.
3. 3 Complete minimal surgery to get a cerclage. When you are diagnosed with a cervical incompetence, your doctor will most likely suggest that you have a cerclage, a minimal surgical procedure in which a suture is placed on the cervix.There are 5 types of cerclage, your doctor will be able to determine which one is best for your situation, depending on where you are in your pregnancy. The cerclage is usually removed towards the end of pregnancy to ensure a successful delivery. Sometimes, depending on the conditions of pregnancy, the cerclage is left in place and at the time of delivery, and the woman is prescribed a cesarean section.
4. 4 Talk to your doctor about going through the pessary placement procedure. A pessary is a device that is inserted into the vagina and lifts and strengthens the cervix. The pessary can be used in place of or in combination with a cerclage.
5. 5 Find out if progesterone can help with your problem. The course of taking this hormone has been shown to be effective for women with a short cervix. The results for women with miscarriages in the second trimester are not well understood.

Method 3 of 3: Take Care of Yourself

1. 1 Get enough rest. Your doctor may need to recommend bed rest for a while, or perhaps until the end of your pregnancy. If you are offered this, do not take it lightly. Bed rest is resting in bed, lying, doing nothing, with your legs raised up. Lying in bed helps to reposition the baby so that it relieves pressure on the cervix.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about vigorous physical activity. He may advise you to refrain from intense exercise and sex. Because your cervix is ​​weak, exercise can make your condition worse.
3. 3 Do Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. To make sure you are doing them correctly, while urinating, squeeze your muscles to stop the flow of urine, and then relax to resume the flow, as you should feel when you do Kegel exercises. It has not yet been proven that Kegel exercises can help prevent cervical incompetence, but there are still some benefits from them, for example, increased sexual pleasure, help with vaginal birth, and help in faster postpartum recovery.