Not an Incompetent Cervix

What if you were told that you had an incompetent cervix?

Seems kinda rude and how does this doctor know about the abilities of my cervix, yet this is a diagnosis that is given to many when the risk of preterm labor or worse can occur.

Incompetent cervix or also termed insufficient cervix is a term given when the cervix is shortened or even effaced (thinned out) when the pregnant person is not near a full term pregnancy. The length of the cervix changes during pregnancy and is normally checked at 18-20 weeks of gestation and normal measurement is 40mm. When the cervix is short or measures 25mm, the risk is higher.

How much of your cervix do you truly know?
- a cervix tends to measure at 25 mm and is closed when not pregnant
- when pregnant, the cervix lengthens and changes during the pregnancy where it will also thin and shorten and open over time as you prepare for delivery

What causes a short cervix?
- any trauma or rupture to the cervix
- could also be congenital or something you’re born with. My mom had a preterm labor with her first daughter, my sister and I was diagnosed with an insufficient cervix with my first pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage, so maybe a genetic component?

Just as there are many things that are not common knowledge for many with a cervix, having an understanding of what a short cervix is, what could cause it, the symptoms included and possible remedies for them are just as important to know and understand when going into a pregnancy.

Would be interested to know…have you ever been diagnosed with a short cervix before and did that diagnosis make you feel a little less than capable of your pregnant body?

Ref: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/short-cervix#diagnosis