Cervical Length

I made it through the entire pregnancy with Trajan without ever even considering the length of my cervix.  Crazy, huh?

Last time, they checked my cervical length based on standard twin procedures at 24 weeks and it was 4.38 cm.   Then at 28 weeks, while on hospital bed rest, it was still actually 3.7 cm.

Despite these good cervical length values, the fact that I delivered at 29&6 takes precedence in deciding the risk management in this pregnancy.  We think that the cervical change was a result of the demise, but since we can't know that with absolute certainty, they are managing conservatively.  I had it measured early on at 8 weeks, but the value was so inaccurate that we are ignoring.  Since then, I have been measured at 12, 16 and 18 weeks.  I dropped from 4.5 cm to 3.8 cm between 12 and 16 weeks and while this was still a more than acceptable value, the shortening was a little concerning.  They didn't add any restrictions, but did recommend that I listen to my body and assume that any contracting is bad contracting so try to prevent contracting from happening by doing less and definitely lie down and hydrate any time I feel contracting.

I actually kind of like having this to worry about.  Preterm labor is definitely not good, but it is something you can take action on and DO something about.  So, I figure it's a much healthier worry than worrying about fetal demise or anything like that. 

I have been acting on this worry in a healthy manner following the advice about adding rest periods, not overdoing stairs, upping my hydration even a little more and just generally listening to my body for the last two weeks since the previous cervical length. 

Cervical length today?  5.0 cm. 

Yup, you read that right, not only did it lengthen, but it is longer than it has ever been previously measured at any point in a pregnancy!  And she said the shape was great as well.  I actually received PRAISE from a perinatologist today.  I didn't know they ever did that!

Based on the lengthening, I was cleared to go another two weeks until my next cervical length which will be at the same time as my next anatomy scan at 20 weeks.

And as a bonus, they confirmed cardiac activity and movement in both babies as long as I was in as well as their fluid levels and they both looked great! I declare ultrasound number 11 a great success.  Though, perhaps they should give keepsake printouts of the cervical length like they do the babies with scans :-). 

And here's evidence of my continued work in good eating: