What is short cervix?

What is cervix?

Cervix is the distance from uterus to vagina. It has two openings, inner opening at uterus and outer opening at vagina. 

If the length of your cervix is shorter than normal it is called short cervix. During an ultrasound you can find out a shor cervix. Cervical length less than 3 to 5 centimeters is considered short. At 28 to 30  weeks the cervix is physiological shorten for normal birth. 

Due to short cervix preterm birth can take place i.e delivery prior to the 37 week of pregnancy or it may be the reason for early miscarriage. Cervix becomes short and softer at the time of delivery. 

In pregnancy baby becomes heavier week by week so the weight of baby makes pressure on the cervix due to which cervix may open and premature birth can take place, it is called insufficient cervix. The premature or preterm birth is dangerous because the baby is not all ready to the natural birth.

Short cervix may seen in some women,it is not common but in these some years it increases.

If your doctor diagnosed short cervix then she/he may recommend the different medications to you depending upon your condition. Most doctors advised for the stich to inner opening of cervix to stay close. And remove the stitch after 37 week of pregnancy. Doctors also advice for bed rest for the short cervix problem.

Also doctors prescribe the hormone progesterone which is used to prevent contractions until delivery time. It is given by weekly injection or vaginal medication.

Arabian pessary is also a another way to reduce the premature birth by inserting a silicon tin into the vagina to close the cervix until birth.

Unfortunately I also had a problem of short cervix during my pregnancy. I had only 2 cms cervix which is too short. It diagonose in my 6th month of pregnancy so I was on bed rest from 6 to 8 month and my doctor prescribed me weekly injections of progesterone. Because I had diagnosed it late so doctor can not stick the cervix so only she prescribed was progesterone. But thanks to God I had a normal and safe delivery and a healthy baby.