Incompetent Cervix Research Paper

•Incompetent Cervix is a condition that occurs when the weak cervical tissue causes or contributes to premature birth or the loss of an otherwise healthy pregnancy.

•Many women first become aware of incompetent cervix after losing their first pregnancy. Most often, the woman has a birth defect that affects the normal shape of the uterus or cervix, but they have no history to indicate the condition. Women who may be at risk for incompetent cervix include those who: had a previous D&C or those who had a previous surgery for an abnormal pap smear or those who had a damaged cervix.

•Signs and symptoms: mild discomfort or spotting over a period of several days or weeks, a sensation of pelvic pressure, backache, mild abdominal cramps, change in vaginal discharge, and light vaginal bleeding.

•There aren 't any tests that can be done before pregnancy to predict an incompetent cervix. If the fetal membranes are visible and an ultrasound shows signs of inflammation but you don’t have symptoms of infection, a testing done on a sample of amniotic fluid could be done to diagnose or rule out an infection.

If your cervix begins to open or becomes shorter than a certain length, your health care provider might recommend cervical cerclage or the health care provider might also recommend the use of a device that fits inside the vagina and is designed to hold the uterus in