The cervix is the opening to the womb or the uterus. It is the lower tubular part of the uterus that joins the upper end of the vagina. When a woman becomes pregnant, the cervix becomes long, thick and closed. It will stay this way till the baby is born. As the pregnancy progresses, and the body gets ready for labor, the cervix softens and widens. However, in some cases, during pregnancy, as the baby grows and becomes heavier, it presses on the cervix.
This pressure may result in the cervix starting to open before the baby is born. This condition is known as an open cervix during pregnancy or a weakened cervix or an incompetent cervix. Such an open cervix during pregnancy could result in a miscarriage or a premature delivery.
When cervical incompetence occurs, the amniotic membrane bulges through the cervical opening and ruptures the placenta. As such, there are no symptoms of an open cervix during pregnancy, unless however, the membrane is ruptured and the woman goes into labor. The woman will then experience pain and contractions. Some women, who have an open cervix in pregnancy (but are not aware of it), complain of an increase in vaginal discharge and a feeling of heaviness in the pelvis. An open cervix during pregnancy may show up only in the early part of the second trimester or even as late as the early part of the third trimester.
An open cervix during early pregnancy can be due to the following reasons: -
A doctor will be able to find out whether the cervix is open or closed during pregnancy, either manually or through an ultrasound. Treatment for an open cervix during pregnancy is cervical cerclage. This procedure involves stitching the cervix to keep it closed. In this procedure a strong band of thread is stitched around the cervix to reinforce it. Research has shown that cerclage successfully treats an incompetent cervix about 85 to 90 % of the time. The best time to perform this procedure is between 13 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. The sutures are removed between 36-38 weeks to prevent any problems when the woman goes into labor.
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