Cervical stenosis

[Buddha16]

Hi everyone,
I am 40 weeks pregnant (today is my due date) and after having an internal, my ob is concerned that I may have cervical stenosis, meaning that my cervix is fully closed. As a result, he is concerned that I am not able to have a vaginal birth and he may have to do a c-section.
I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if so, whether you were able to have a vaginal birth?
Many thanks.

[PunkyDiva]

Ummm, In most cases the cervix stays closed until contractions open it allowing passage of bub. EDD are far from accurate so a firmly closed cervix would indicate a bit more baking to happen.
Can you elaborate on what you were told as a quick google says it is congenital or as a result of operations.
Hope someone else can come on and tell you more as I really have no idea, sorry.

[BazzasMum]

Cervical stenosis may be congenital or acquired. The most common acquired causes are menopause, surgery (eg, conization, cautery), infection, cervical or uterine cancer, and radiation therapy. Cervical stenosis may be complete or partial. It may result in a hematometra (accumulation of blood in the uterus) or, in premenopausal women, retrograde flow of menstrual blood into the pelvis, possibly causing endometriosis. A pyometra (accumulation of pus in the uterus) may also develop, particularly in women with cervical or uterine cancer.

Common symptoms in premenopausal women include amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, abnormal bleeding, and infertility. Postmenopausal women may be asymptomatic for long periods. Hematometra or pyometra may cause uterine distention or sometimes a palpable mass.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis may be suspected based on symptoms and signs or on inability to obtain endocervical cells or an endometrial sample for diagnostic tests (eg, for a Papanicolaou [Pap] test). Diagnosis of complete stenosis is established if a 1- to 2-mm diameter probe cannot be passed into the uterine cavity. If cervical stenosis causes symptoms or uterine abnormalities, cervical cytology and endometrial biopsy should be done to exclude the respective cancers. In postmenopausal women with no history of abnormal Pap tests, no further evaluation is needed.

Treatment is indicated only if symptoms or uterine abnormalities are present and may involve cervical dilation.

Sounds a bit odd of your Ob to say that.... especially as the above article cites menstrual problems and infertility as symptoms. You're obviously not infertile since you're now full-term.

maybe bub just isn't read yet..... Surely something like that would have been picked up before now!

[Buddha16]

Hi,
Thanks for your input. My ob thought it may be related to laser treatment I had for abnormal cells many years ago, but couldn't say for certain this was the case.
Lets just hope that bubs 'is still baking' and my cervix will open naturally!!

[PunkyDiva]

Some going into labour vibes for ya

[~Emmylou~]

Is this your first baby?

If it is, it wouldn't be unusual for your cervix to still be shut tight even at 40 weeks.

Things change very quickly at the end of pregnancy, so being closed now doesn't mean you will be tomorrow or a week from now.

I'd be extremely cautious of this OB if you are aiming for a natural birth. While it's true that previous surgery on the cervix can cause issues with dilation, that isn't usually evident until labour has started and things get to a certain point and dilation just stops.

Far too early to be making that call when you're not even in labour yet, and very presumptuous to be making it just because you're 40 weeks and not dilated at all, because as I said that's not unusual in a first time mum.