What does it mean to have a thin cervix?
Asked by
Bart19 (
1020
)
August 5th, 2011
Two weeks ago my girlfriend went to the doctor for a vaginal exam. The doctor told her she had a thinner cervix than usual and that it might need ‘freezing’ to be solved. According to the doctor it’s very common for young women to have but I can’t find anything about it on the internet and now I am curious.
So does anybody here know what it means to have a thin cervix?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
11 Answers
Ideally, the cervix should be 3cm thick. When pregnant, a thick mucus plug forms and protects the womb from infection and the cervix thickens. With a thin cervix, chances of infection increase because the barrier, including the plug, can leak because of malformation. The only problem I can think of with a thin or thinning cervix is during pregnancy.
She was 4 weeks pregnant at the time but miscarried at 6 weeks. Do you know if a thin cervix had anything to do with that?
@Bart19 It could have, but the causes of a thin cervix could also have been the cause of the miscarriage. Is your girlfriend young or asian?
She is 23 and not asian (White and British)
If she wants to increase her chances of carrying a baby to term, she should listen to her doctor.
Did her doctor determine the reason for the miscarriage? Did she go to the hospital when it happened?
Did she have her progesterone level checked?
I also found this at a website describing reasons for miscarriages:
Physical Problem with the Uterus or Cervix
Some women have a uterus that does not have the usual shape. Others have a cervix that may be weakened by a number of causes, including multiple D&C procedures or their mother taking DES when she was pregnant (although note that DES was discontinued in 1971 and most DES daughters are leaving their childbirth years behind.) Both of these problems can cause early labor, usually during a critical period from 12–24 weeks. This cause is responsible for 12 percent of miscarriages during this time period. As the baby grows, especially during the very rapid growth spurt during this time frame, the irregularly shaped uterus may not be able to expand or the weak cervix may start to open up and let the baby out. There are treatments for both of these that are quite effective—corrective surgery on the uterus and a cervical stitch that holds the cervix closed. This problem WILL REOCCUR if not treated.
http://www.pregnancyloss.info/causes.htm#uterus
She went to the doctor when she started cramping and bleeding. The doctor told us to wait a week and then go to the hospital for our booked early pregnancy scan (We had a previous molar pregnancy). At the hospital they refused us the scan after they did a pregnancy test which turned out to be negative.
No blood tests have been done. Her progesterone levels haven’t been checked and the cause of the miscarriage hasn’t been determined.
It sounds like the doctor thinks her thin cervix may have been partly responsible. Is it clearer to you now the role of the cervix during pregnancy?
Another term you can search for if you are concerned about her cervix being part of the reason for the miscarriage is “incompetent cervix”. If her cervix does have a role in the miscarriage, there are things that can be done in the future to help with that. Incompetent cervix is something that’s usually found in the second trimester, but if she has things going on with her cervix, it’s something they should look at in future pregnancies.
Thank you for your answers. She has a doctor’s appointment next Tuesday so hopefully we will find out more.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
