In 2019 I became pregnant with our first son. We were beyond excited and I had what I believed to be a typical pregnancy. However, at 23 weeks I went into spontaneous preterm labor, my water broke when I arrived at the hospital and there was not enough time for steroids or an emergency cervical cerclage. The doctor told me that this was a very “grave situation” due to an incompetent cervix and I was already dilated 3 centimeters.
I was rushed to have an emergency c-section and our beautiful son, Noah Benjamin was born. Everything happened so fast and we were in such shock. Noah was rushed to our children’s hospital with my husband and I followed in an ambulance the next morning. Noah fought for his life for 17 hours and we were able to hold him for every minute.
Our world was shattered and our hearts were broken.
Because we knew what caused the early labor, our medical team had a plan in place for the hope of another pregnancy in the future.
In 2020 when we became pregnant with our second son, Jonah, our OB was ready to go with the plan. I received weekly vaginal ultrasounds to check the length of my cervix and I was placed on medication to slow any possible preterm labor. A cervical cerclage was placed at 12 weeks. I’m not sure I even know how to accurately describe how scary pregnancy after loss was.
My cervix started to shorten around 25 weeks, a pessary was attempted and I was put on bedrest. At 35 weeks, my water broke at home before we had the opportunity for steroids or to remove the cerclage. I had another c-section and a gorgeous baby who just needed a little extra support in the early days of his life. He is wonderful and thriving.
I wish I knew what incompetent cervix was and that it could happen to me. I wish it were discussed as commonly as miscarriage. I wish that pregnant women’s cervical length were checked more often.
I don’t believe I could have carried a successful pregnancy as far as I did without the cervical cerclage and the amazing watchful eye of my medical team. - Jessica K.