cerclage??

Hey Ginger! I am not really familiar with the different types of cerclages out there and the only person that I know did have the Shidokar is: hcptt885. You may want to try to shoot her over an email and see how it faired for her. Best of luck, sweetheart. Keep us posted.

Love, Kelly

Hi All,
we lost healthy twin girls last friday, our hearts are million pieces try to understand why this happened. After surgery doctors at Stanford hospital said I was 10 cm dilated when we arrived the hospital so it was too late to have a cerclage unfortunately I delivered them too soon, they could not survive. I have had three laporoscopies over last two years then got a IVF to have them unfortunately we lost them. Now I will go to high risk maternetiy doctor to learn possible reasons behind this traumatic experience. Is there anybody who lost her pregnancy like this ( dostors think possible reason is cervix insufficieny) after that how did you cope with this, how soon you get pregnant again and what did you do prevent that?
thank you so much
suffering mom

I lost a child at 17 weeks my cervics gave way and they couldn't do a cerclage it broke my heart , about 6 months later it happened again I was pregnant and scared to death , I found high risk doctors they put my mcdonalds cerclage in at 11 weeks it held to 22.5 my water broke at 25.5 and my son was born 26.5 he is now 11 and healthy but that stitch was not the best . I got pregnany 6 years later had the shirkar done did 14 weeks bed rest in hospital no events just to keep me safe and I had a boy at 36.4 full term and able to go home . once again I am pregnant but by suprise I didn't want to do it again it can be very stressful but I had my cerclage placed at 10 weeks and I am 14 weeks up and about doing well , my os opens about 17 weeks so I may still have to do a long run of bed rest but after they are born it was well worth the wait ! you can message me any time I am here for you .
Crystal

I also lost twin girls in October at 22 weeks as well due to premature rupture of membranes. For the first two months I was severly depressed, not eating, not sleeping, and unable to leave the house because I could not control the crying. I blamed myself and contemplated suicide. I started antidepressants in early December and they helped alot. I was afraid to talk to my doctor about how I was feeling. I think if I had started meds earlier I would felt better earlier. What also helped me with my loss is making a scrapbook for the twins and also buying personalized items for them. I have ornaments and picture frames and crosses and souvenir boxes...the people at Things Remembered know me well. I even got a tattoo.
I too wanted answers of why this happened, but my fertility specialist and ob have no answers why. My ob reassured me that it would not happen again and encouraged me to try again in January. My fertility md reduced my meds to reduced my chances of multiples which of course has higher risks in itself. Neither doctors thought I was trying again too early, and I think trying again helped emotionally too. I got pregnant in February with a singleton. My ob recommended a cerclage which I just had done Friday (just preventatively). In two weeks I will be starting a weekly hormone shot which will reduce my chances of preterm labor.
I am happy to be pregnant again but I'm not as excited as was in February, I am just afraid something will go wrong. I still can't sleep at night (ever since I stopped taking meds) but I refuse to take any antidepressants because I know if something happens I will blame myself, again. Both my husband and I are a little paranoid about this pregnancy, but I think those feelings would be the same no matter how long I waited though.
I know it doesn't feel like it now, but it does get better. I can now talk about the babies and not cry every single time. I can buy them something and not break down. I tell myself its not my fault and actually know its true. Of course some days are worse than others, but I don't think anyone gets over the death of a child.
I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Jeanne
Some people only dream of angels, I held two in my hands.

Jeanne:

I am going to pray for you and I really want to hear about your success, every day. I lost my son in December at 22 weeks. I was healthy the entire time, no morning sicknes or anything and out of the blue I went into labor. My next pregnancy I am supposed to get a cerclage and start the 17 p shots- exactly what you are doing. You are a brave woman and when I say I know how you feel I truly do. Take comfort in the fact that you are doing what you can as a mother. I know women who have had 5 unsuccessful pregnancies then 2 children healthy children after that. I would say not to stress, and read and eat and watch tv alot. You have no idea what stress can do to you. I think I was stressed too much during my first pregnancy, next time around I am going to have a different attitude, especially if it means a longer pregnancy. Be strong for you angels and for your new baby. Please keep in touch.

Ashley

Hi All,

We had two failed pregnancies: the first a singleton boy at 23.5 weeks and the second twin girls at 17.5 weeks.

I had an emergency cerclage for the first pregnancy. For the 2nd pregnancy I had a McDonald's cerclage at 11 weeks, then an emergency Shirodkar at 16.5 weeks.

GingerK should really consider the Shirodkar. The stitch is deeper the the McDonald's. A new doctor I found actually recommended have both kinds done but simultaneously to have a stronger hold. This doctor is a high risk specialist so this is our last hope. I can't seem to find a doctor that will do a transabdominal cerclage because it adds risk of infection.

Ladies, I know what you have gone through is tough. Hang in there. The best suggestions I can make are that you each find people you can talk to freely (therapist are great listeners, so are friends, esp. those who have gone through similar losses). I found a support group at my hospital of other mothers with losses 2 years ago and I'm still great friends with the people I met.

I would also recommend talking to various obgyns/perinatologists and find experts in high risk pregnancies in your area to get the best care possible. Most doctors do care, but most are not too experienced in circumstances like ours.

And, when you try again, release your life from as many stresses as possible. Some doctors aren't quick to prescribe bedrest but you should push for it and just relax and take care of yourself during pregnancy.

We're going to give this one more try with the double cerclage, full bedrest, no work from day 1 of the pregnancy, essentially as little stress on my body as possible.

Take care of yourselves!

Im not sure what kind I had but I had an emergency cerclage I was already dialeted 3cm because I have an imcompetence cervix. But I was on bedrest @ 20 wks and when I went home from the hospital 5 days later I walked to the Bathroom and felt a clear gush so I called my doc and she tested it and said it was from surgery. A week later I went to see a specialist and he done an ultrasound and said there was no fluid and he didnt know how the baby was making it. Come to find out they pokd the sack and told me they didnt. took the stitches out and told me my baby wouldnt make it. I laid in that hospital a wk knowing there was nothing they could do I had her and she lived a hr. I couldnt believe they told me it wasnt my fluid leaking outand really seemed like they didnt care. Not to scare you. But I had the stitches put in @ 14wks and I am now 30wks with no problems and no bedrest I have a very caring doctor and My advice go to a doctor that deals with high risks pregnacies they have the most experince and they will do everything to make sure your baby makes it into the world safely. I know my angel is in heaven and God will bless you!!

I am so sorry to hear that you lost two baby girls! I know your pain and loss. I will be praying for you as I continually pray for families who have to endure such heartache. One thing that I do is just take one day at a time and talk about your little girls cause that always helped me. I was told that I have an incompetent cervix and I will do the stitch and progesterone shots when I get pregnant again.

I was also wondering how long it took everyone before you got your period again? How long did everyone wait before trying again?

Hi:

I was wondering what type of cerclage you have? and whther you have had any anti-labor-progesterone shots?

Ashley

I had a Mcdonald cerclage around 21 weeks and it is holding because of strict bedrest. I am almost 32 weeks now. When he initially placed it the stitch wasnt holding due to contractions I ended up on mag and brethine to stop it and have been ok since. The only thing I know about the Shridokar is that it is much stronger.

had a cerclage placed at 17 weeks due to what they are now saying is an incompetent cervix. how can they tell if it is actually an incompetent cervix. it was my first pregnancy and it was twins. i started having problems at 14 weeks. my drs talked about doing the cerclage and i was all for, anything to save my babies. i wanted them so bad i was willing to risk it all for them. i had just got out of the first trimester i thought it would be easy sailing fom then on. boy was i wrong. instead of the cerclage they put me on progesterone suppositorries, they worked for three weeks and then i was back in for an emergency cerclage. i was funneling from the inside of my cervix and my length was 1.9. after cerclage my length was 3.3 but just a month later here i was in labor and having my twins and now they said its because of my cervix. you idiots saw i was having problems a month before and you chose to do nothing. now i have to have my kids and watch them struggle for evey beath they take and just to live. my doctos failed me and so did my body. i dont know what to trust anymore. now my doctors say that they will do the cerclage earlier at 12-14 weeks and monitor me more closely. why were they watching me before i was having twins for christ sake. and now i have to deal with not having my babies because of pre tem labor

Momof2babyangelboys - I have been exactly where you are today... about a year ago to the date actually. My twin boys were born on 11/18/08 (Rafe was stillborn) and Solomon passed away on 12/22/08 from NEC. I was watched biweekly and my cervix was measured at each appointment from week 16 on. At the first reading, we noticed funneling, which continued to worsen. My cervix was shrinking realtively slowly though compared to others. My OB told me when we first noticed the funneling that it happens with twin pregnancies and that they would watch it as it would sometimes correct itself. My cervix did not dialate until the middle of week 22. It has been debated as to whether or not I should have gotten an emergency cerclage at my week 22 appointment when my cervix was measuring 2.9 but funneling worse. I had a Peri who does not believe in emergency cerclages though, and he has science behind him. I however, would have loved to have been given the option. That's something that I have had to learn to live with, and it has not been easy.

In answer to your question, IC is usually diagnosed after mutliple pregnancy losses (2 or more). I have friends that had to suffer that many losses before they could get a cerclage. Fortunately for me, my RE peformed a hysteroscopy on me to see if I had scar tissue from the infection that my boys's placenta had. During the procedure, he noticed that my cervix was not maintaining its proper shape even when I was not pregnant and diagnosed me with IC on the spot.

We were fortunate enough to get pregnant again about 11 months after our the birth of our angels, and I had a cerclage put in at 12 weeks. I am only 15 weeks now, but am praying for a positive outcome this time.

Nothing really heals you from the pain of losing your babies. You simply get to a point where you have more good days than bad.

Finally, I would recommend grief counseling for you and your partner (if applicable). We didn't think we needed it, but we found that it did help us sort through our feelings and emotions in those early stages of grief and help us develop a road map for living without our boys. My thoughts and prayers are with you!!!!

I am so sorry for the loss of your babies. It is something that I cannot understand how you are feeling, but my thoughts are with you.

I do have IC and I have never had a loss, but I've had 2 successful cerclages and working on my 3rd success story with one. My oldest was born at 32 weeks. I had funneling starting at 29 weeks and really nothing changed. No bedrest, just told to take it easy. 2 weeks later my cervix measured just fine and there was no funneling at all...phew. Except that I arrived home and a few hours later my water broke and I was in preterm labor. Her birth was deemed a fluke by my old and new doctor. However, in my second pregnancy I started having spotting around 12 weeks. By 14 weeks I knew something was very wrong and luckily my OB agreed and did an u/s. I was funneling at 14 weeks and had a cerclage placed that afternoon. I was on bedrest for 6 months and delivered a healthy 37 week baby boy. I had a preventative cerclage done at 13 weeks with my thrid pregnancy. I was never on bedrest, but did have to have some terb at 33 weeks to stop contractions.

Having IC has been a difficult road for too many women, but please know there are success stories. I would recommend finding a different doctor that is willing to work with you. I wish you all of the best. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss. I hope what I shared with you will give you some hope for the future.

Regards,
Kristyn