Open Cervix During Pregnancy

The cervix is the lower tubular part of the uterus that joins the upper end of the vagina. When a woman is not pregnant, the menstrual blood flows out during menstruation and the cervix remains slightly open, allowing sperm to enter for fertilation during intercourse. When a woman gets pregnant, the cervical canal fills with a slippery and clear fluid that works as a barrier, protecting the embryo in the uterus.

During the initial stages of the pregnancy, the cervix remains closed, thick, and long. It’s more like the tip of the nose. As the pregnancy progresses and the body gets ready for labor, the cervix widens and softens.

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Open Cervix During Pregnancy
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Also, the fetus grows in size and weight, pressing against the cervix and putting more pressure on it.

This often causes the cervix to dilate and weaken before the due date leading to preterm labor or at times a miscarriage. This condition of weak cervix is called incompetent cervix. In cervical incompetence, the amniotic membrane bulges through the cervical opening rupturing the placenta. It is not preceded by pain or contractions unless the membrane is ruptured and labor is triggered. However, a woman suffering from incompetent cervix will have a feeling heaviness in the pelvis and have an increase in vaginal discharge. The open cervix in early pregnancy is caused by a previous case of incompetent cervix or miscarriage, cervical surgery, trauma to the cervix, and congenital abnormalities of the cervix. Since cervical incompetence has no symptoms, the expectant mother’s doctor can perform pelvic exam or ultrasound to determine the length of the cervix.

See also friable cervix

Open Cervix During Early Pregnancy Treatment

To treat the cervix open during early pregnancy, a surgery called cerclage can be performed wherein the cervix is sewed up to keep it closed till the mother goes into labor. This operation is performed during the 14th to the 16th week of the pregnancy and the stitches are removed when the woman experiences contractions during labor. It’s important to have the cerclage done as early as possible if the expectant mother has cervical incompetency. To treat the early opening of cervix during pregnancy, the woman must take bed rest to reduce the pressure on the cervix, which is caused when the woman stands up or moves around. This also slows down the cervical opening early on in pregnancy. Cerclage has a high success rate with about 80 to 90 women delivering healthy babies. In some cases, it can damage the cervix, cause excessive blood loss, cause an infection, rupture the membranes, or result in preterm delivery.

Open Cervix During Pregnancy
Open Cervix During Pregnancy
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