Although the woman's body is prepared to carry one or more babies during pregnancy and in most cases it is possible to reach a healthy end and without unexpected situations, sometimes for various reasons some complications may occur or Health problems that we didn't have come to light.
One of them is cervical insufficiency, a problem that occurs when the cervix begins to open early, unlike a normal pregnancy, in which the cervix remains closed until the end. We tell you all about cervical insufficiency and how it can affect pregnancy.
What is cervical insufficiency?
Cervical insufficiency, previously called incompetent cervix or incompetence of the cervix, occurs when the cervix begins to dilate and open prematurely during pregnancy, without the presence of pain or contractions, which are those that help push the baby out of the uterus during childbirth.
When this happens, this premature dilation of the cervix usually begins at the end of the first trimester, however, It is not always easy to detect because its discomforts are almost imperceptible For the pregnant woman. Therefore it is important to be aware of the following inconveniences:
- Back pain.
- Discomfort or pressure in the lower abdomen.
- Spillage or dripping of warm liquid from the vagina.
- Vaginal discharge with the appearance of mucus.
- Painful urination
- Feeling of having something bulky in the vagina.
Once cervical insufficiency is diagnosed, depending on the case the doctor may recommend some medications to control or prevent it, according to the analysis made to the mother or if it was already known that it had the possibility of happening.
In other cases, an operation called cerclage is performed, which consists of perform a stitched suture to close the cervix, and that is withdrawn during week 37 or 38 when there are signs that labor has begun. It is necessary to comment that this is an invasive procedure that should only be performed in high-risk cases where there is a cervical factor during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
In Babies and more Uterine or cervical cerclageWhy it happens
Although the reason for this problem is not always clear, there are certain risk factors for cervical insufficiency, among which are the following:
- A weakening of the cervix of genetic cause.
- Hyperextension, severe lacerations or tear in the cervix during one or more previous births.
- Have a short cervix
- A cone biopsy for cervical cancer.
- A surgery or laser therapy on the cervix.
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy.
- Having previous miscarriages in the fourth month of pregnancy.
- Having a history of late abortions.
- Be expecting more than one baby.
- Having presented cervical insufficiency in previous pregnancies.
How it affects pregnancy
During pregnancy, the cervix or cervix is usually sealed with a mucous plug until the end of the third trimester, but when presenting cervical insufficiency, it begins to expand early.
If this happens, the amniotic sac could go down into the vaginal canal and rupture, producing a spontaneous abortion (when the baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy) or a premature delivery (when the baby is born before 37 weeks). Cervical insufficiency is believed to be the cause of 20% to 25% of spontaneous abortions during the second trimester, although only between 1% and 2% of pregnancies suffer from this problem.
In Babies and more A type of suture in the uterine cerclage may have more risks than benefitsCan it be prevented?
Cervical insufficiency cannot be prevented, but as mentioned at the beginning, cerclage or medications try not to affect pregnancy. As a preventive measure, If the pregnant woman has any of the aforementioned risk factors, she should inform her doctor So you can keep a more controlled follow-up of pregnancy.
Ultrasound or vaginal exams may show the shortening or premature opening of the cervix, so it is important to go to medical check-ups from the beginning of pregnancy and mention to the health staff any discomfort or symptom that is rare or different.
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