fntsyangel . What should our cervix feel like in 8 mths. [mths] [cervix]
Let me know again what it must feel like. I suppose to be 32 weeks, but I am measuring 36 weeks. I feel like Im in pre-labor.
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Chloe is due 07/27/03
Reply:Hilarious. This weekend I read about the oligo form and the other one which of course has now escaped me. The other one being too much which is called "blank"hydramnios. How ironic.
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Marie
It's A Boy!!
Expected August 2, 2003
Reply:Hey Marie!
There is actually a difference between leaking amnio and too little amnio. The condition of having too little amnio (wherein not enough is being made) can be extremely dangerous, and if it continues for more than 2-3 weeks, they usually do a section (too high a risk of cord accident to just induce). But like I said, it is becoming common practice for dr's to hold women in the hospital whose water has broke but labor has sucessfully been prolonged in.
"the amniotic fluid continually replaces itself at the rate of every three hours"
What most likely happened with you brother is Oligohydramnios, which is where there is actually not enough amnio produced in the first place.
"In early pregnancy there is the worry of amniotic adhesions causing deformities or constriction of the umbilical cord. There is also concern about pressure deformities, like clubfeet, from not having enough free space in the womb"
"Later in pregnancy oligohydramnios is one of the signs of fetal distress. This occurrence can cause compression of the cord, which can lead to fetal hypoxia, meaning that the baby is not getting enough oxygen."
Just a few tidbits for you. I remember the story of your brother … it makes me shudder at the pain you all felt over that. It also makes me think how very lucky I am that although my last 2 children had problems, they were and are ok.
"Hugs and Kisses" 
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Angel, et al
Reply:Glad this came up Kelly!
Angel – you cannot dry out, But low levels are a common problem actually. My mother had this with my brother.
Nville1 – I have to say that when you stated the germ factor with insertion of fingers, well I couldn't help but think of how boring a sex life would be if this posed THAT much of a threat even with washed hands as you said. Not to say that when there is forplay that a person's fingers would go so far as to reach your cervix, however any germs on those fingers would pose a threat since germs do have a life of theirown and spread all on their won too. So try to give a person credit. She even used gloves so hey. I agree the best way would be to have your doc check you, but in her case of being so far from the doc then it would be a shame to have to drive all the way there for what would likely be a false alarm. Had she exibited any other symptoms of early labor then I would say for her to make that trip.
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Marie
It's A Boy!!
Expected August 2, 2003
Reply:Thanks Angel.
You have been a really big help and put my mind at ease.
I think when I go to the doctor Monday I am going to demand her check my cervix anyway. Just to make me feel better.
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Chloe is due 07/27/03
Reply:No kidding about the head thing! With my 2nd pregnancy my DD dropped at 27 weeks and her head could be clearly felt just behind the cervix, but the doc refused to check!! A week later after many many episodes of sporatic labor, I insisted he check (by which point I was 2+ dialated), and within 10 mins I was given terbutaline, ordered not to leave the city (it was 4th of july weekend), taken out of work, and put on modified bedrest! If I had listened to his "oh, it is nothing, just BH, and you are just fine" there is no telling what would have happened! THAT is why I preferred to know myself what things felt like in there. If I hadnt felt that dialation and insisted on the exam … well, I hate to think of it.
momofa4yrold, even if you have a slow leak, you body is constantly producing amnio fluid. It is virtually impossible to "go dry". In fact, it is becoming a fairly common practice to prolong pregnancy – weeks if possible – after a premature rupture of membranes if it has happened way too early. A "massive increase in discharge" is also really normal in the last weeks. If you really become concerned that your water is leaking, there is a test they can do to determine if the discharge is amnio or not.
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Angel, et al
Reply:Hi
I think the reason may be, is that the germs that may be present under your fingernails and cuticles, are very different that the germs that are harbored in the genital region of both men and women.
When germs are introduced into an area where they do not belong, sometimes they can cause a problem.
Remember, too, that your body is quite used to being exposed to your parnter's genitalia and its normal flora.
While manual manipulation can certainly be a part of any sexual activity, generally speaking the guy is not going to be probing way, way up there, trying to get a finger into your cervix (hopefully not, anyway!)
And, remember, the chance of infection is remote, in any event. I once volunteered for 30 days in Africa in a tiny village. We had set up a mobile clinic. There one exactly ONE speculum that was swished around in soapy water for about 100 women, many of whom were pregnant. It was very primitive. I remember seeing one lady who had delivered several days before, and she had all sorts of leaves stuffed in there, the translator told us it was very common to "stop the flow of vital fluids" from the body.
So, the body can tolerate a lot. It is just less than optimal is the point I wanted to get across, to probe around in there. You probably won't glean much useful info anyway, unless the baby's head is right at the introitus.
Good luck ladies!
Reply:Thank you both for posting. I did use gloves.
I was wondering the same thing though. If it is really that dangerous to contact an infection, why is any type of sexual intercourse OK during pregnancy up to delievery? The only thing I have heard or red or have been warned about was not to let him blow air up there (which I have never even heard of until I got preg.). He doesn't use gloves or a condum when we have sex.
Also, I know it is routine that in the 8th month I will start having regular checks on my cervix at every visit up to delievery.
Thank you for helping me understand what it is to feel like.
I did call my doctor and she told me I was just getting over axious and worring over nothing. That really didn't make me feel any better. How is she suppose to know that over the phone?
I am feeling better now. I have only had 2 contractions today. But, the massive increase in discharge has me a little worried. How long can the baby live in an empty sac if I am slowly leaking. One of the stories I heard was one of my sisters friends lost her baby at 33 weeks because all of her water had leaked out and she didn't know it. She was doing her kick count that evening and didn't get 10 kicks in 2 hours. Her baby was dead. How are you suppose to prevent that from happening?
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Chloe is due 07/27/03
Reply:guy,
From your description in the other thread, I would venture a guess of "fingertip" dialated, which roughly translates to 1 cm outter os dialated. I agree with guy that the outter portion of your cervix can be slightly dialated without the inner portion being dialated. Also, especially having previously had a baby, it is relatively normal at 32 weeks to be slightly dialated.
While I am sure guy is correct that it is not the necessarily the best thing to check your own cervix (and I KNOW that all health care professionals are going to tell you not to), and I encourage if you decide to, to use gloves, I also understand the possibility of a doc telling you that your symptoms are nothing when that is not the case, as well as being far from the hospital.
I am currious … I have never had a doc tell me my DF could not touch me in such a manner during sex … so why tell me that I cant do it? For that fact, I was only told I could not have sex when premature labor was confirmed … and I am positive that a man can penetrate all the way to the cervical opening! Just some thoughts to ponder … lol
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Angel, et al
Reply:I have to discourage a pregnant woman from checking her own cervix.
First and foremost, is for reasons of infection. Even if you wash your hands well, there are germs under your fingernails that cannot be completely removed. It is possible to put germs that naturally inhabit your hands, into and around your cervix. Most times, probably nothing would happen, but sometimes those germs may flourish and give you chorioamnionitis, which is an infection of the tissues and lining inside the pregnant uterus.
Secondly, the outside of your cervix can be open, yet the internal part (called the internal os), may be tightly closed. The internal os is very difficult for a self-checker to reach, by virtue of the position necessary to get there.
Thirdly, you have no way of knowing if there is a small leaking in your amniotic sac (bag of water). Sometimes it presents as just a small discharge, and many women don't even know it has happened. Usually if you go to a hospital, they check for this routinely before doing an exam. But even if they don't, they use a STERILE glove to check.
And even with a sterile glove, they don't like to check if there is even the tiniest break in the amniotic sac, because it pushes bacteria from the outer part of the vagina, into and around your cervix.
Lastly, there are some times when checking a cervix can lead to heavy, in some cases, massive bleeding. Undiagnosed low lying placenta, placenta previa, vasa previa, thrombosed cervical veins, etc.
It just isn't a wise time during pregnancy to poke around in there. If you are having signs/symptoms of preterm labor, the SAFEST thing to do is call your doctor and get his/her advice about what to do. IF you have to go to the hospital and get checked out, it is a small inconvenience, and you will know the next time that that particular symptom wasn't worrisome.
I am a labor and delivery nurse, and see many, many women who come in with "false alarms" and some serious, yet early problems. Better to play it safe, even though it is tough going in to the hospital.
Reply:We had a topic on here once before about checking your own cervix. Fntsangel was telling us how she learned to do it when she was pregnant and was able to stop here pre term labor. I was just curious on what it felt like.
I have a 4 yr old son at home and I live 2 hours away from our hospital. I can not just run to the ER everytime I feel like something is wrong to wait there all night and told to go home. I would go if I saw blood or if my water broke. Other than that I would like to know a little bit more about my body.
Does any one else remember our previous post on this subject that could help me.
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Chloe is due 07/27/03
Reply:Hi
Even though I am not the intended recipient of your message, I would like to make a comment.
All cervixes feel different. Even from one pregnancy to the next, they can differ on the same woman.
If you feel as though you are in prelabor, and are not due until 7/27, you should call your doctors office and get worked in for a check to make sure you are not.
I know you said you are measuring 36 weeks. I am presuming your dates were accurate early in the pregnancy. You can still be 32-33 weeks and measure 36 weeks. Ultrasounds ARE NOT ACCURATE for dating in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy, they can be off by 2 weeks or more.
The earlier an ultrasound is done in a pregnancy, the more accurate. Especially if coupled with the woman's LMP info.
So get to your doc asap if you are having preterm labor symptoms. It may not be too late to stop it, if it is real preterm labor. Trust me, you want a healthy, full term baby if at all possible.
