I saw the signs, but I chose to ignore them. Every website and book I read, two words blared from the pages, preterm labor. I decided not to investigate the issue any further. I thought my pregnancy was doing great and preterm labor could not happen to me.
May 24th 2011 is the day that I wished I had researched more on the topic of preterm labor. I went for my scheduled sonogram appointment that day, feeling pretty good. As I laid on the hospital bed, watching my twin girls actively moving, the technician said, "Let's check your cervix." This is always routine when I go for a sonogram; check the babies and then check the cervix. I wasn't nervous because last month my cervix was fine. The technician squeezed a clear blue gel onto the prob and inserted. Her face said it all. "Have you been feeling cramps?" she asked looking at the screen with an unpleasant look. I nodded. "Yes, but they didn't hurt, I thought it was my uterus stretching." But it wasn't my uterus stretching. My cervix had opened 1 cm. It was visibly clear on the monitor. My cervix look like a canal and on the far left I could see the babies head trying to enter.
Al pregnant women are relieved when they are finished with the first trimester because the chance of a miscarriage is extremely high. However, while most baby books say that second trimester is a breeze, in reality it is not.
What is preterm labor? Preterm labor is the contracting of the uterus around 24 to 37 weeks. In some cases, the cervical canal opens, in which the woman has an incompetent cervix or a weak cervix. This means that the cervix was not strong enough to hold the weight of the baby(ies) and that cervix is shorter. There isn't an explanation as to why the cervix opens. However, in preterm labor, women will experience the following symptoms:
Finding out that I was having contractions and seeing my cervix opened on the screen made my heart stop. I began to blame myself for this occurrence. I should have not walked so much. I shouldn't have carried that bag. A lot of thoughts were running through my mind. How could have this happened? Is this the end all? Am I going to have my babies at 24 weeks?
The answer is, if a woman is at the right place at the right time, mean at the doctors or at a hospital then no. To ease women's mind who may read this, preterm labor or the cervix opening is in no way the woman's fault. It just happens. If a woman is less than 20 weeks, the doctors can close the cervix, which can also cause complications. I am not an expert on that subject, therefore I will stick to what I know. When the woman goes to the hospital, the following will happen:
Water, Water, Water! Drink plenty of it, more than eight glasses. This will help cease the contractions as well.
There is no prevention to cervical opening, it if is opened it will remain open. However, the steps that I mention before will hopefully keep the cervix from not changing. To prevent preterm labor, be aware of the symptoms that I have mentioned. Drink lots of water and stay off the feet as much as possible. Less movement is better.
Until next time.
Have any questions about pregnancy? Email me at jamilatsimmons@gmail.com
May 24th 2011 is the day that I wished I had researched more on the topic of preterm labor. I went for my scheduled sonogram appointment that day, feeling pretty good. As I laid on the hospital bed, watching my twin girls actively moving, the technician said, "Let's check your cervix." This is always routine when I go for a sonogram; check the babies and then check the cervix. I wasn't nervous because last month my cervix was fine. The technician squeezed a clear blue gel onto the prob and inserted. Her face said it all. "Have you been feeling cramps?" she asked looking at the screen with an unpleasant look. I nodded. "Yes, but they didn't hurt, I thought it was my uterus stretching." But it wasn't my uterus stretching. My cervix had opened 1 cm. It was visibly clear on the monitor. My cervix look like a canal and on the far left I could see the babies head trying to enter.
Al pregnant women are relieved when they are finished with the first trimester because the chance of a miscarriage is extremely high. However, while most baby books say that second trimester is a breeze, in reality it is not.
What is preterm labor? Preterm labor is the contracting of the uterus around 24 to 37 weeks. In some cases, the cervical canal opens, in which the woman has an incompetent cervix or a weak cervix. This means that the cervix was not strong enough to hold the weight of the baby(ies) and that cervix is shorter. There isn't an explanation as to why the cervix opens. However, in preterm labor, women will experience the following symptoms:
- Menstrual like cramps, abdomen pains, low dull backache (especially if you never had it before)
- Vaginal bleeding
- Change or increase in discharge (watery like)
- leaking (like a faucet)
- contractions (every 5 minutes to an hour)
Finding out that I was having contractions and seeing my cervix opened on the screen made my heart stop. I began to blame myself for this occurrence. I should have not walked so much. I shouldn't have carried that bag. A lot of thoughts were running through my mind. How could have this happened? Is this the end all? Am I going to have my babies at 24 weeks?
The answer is, if a woman is at the right place at the right time, mean at the doctors or at a hospital then no. To ease women's mind who may read this, preterm labor or the cervix opening is in no way the woman's fault. It just happens. If a woman is less than 20 weeks, the doctors can close the cervix, which can also cause complications. I am not an expert on that subject, therefore I will stick to what I know. When the woman goes to the hospital, the following will happen:
- A nurse will administer an IV (this is to keep the you and the baby(ies) hydrated)
- Do another sonogram
- Monitor the baby(ies) heart rate by place a disk or two disks on the belly.
- Monitor the contractions by placing a disk on the belly.
- The nurse will administer two doses of steroids (6 hours in between). This is to mature the lungs just in case the baby(ies) come early. Remember, around 24 weeks, the organs are not fully developed yet.
- Most likely, the pregnant woman will be admitted into the hospital to monitor the contractions and the baby and to administer the second dose of steroids.
- Nifedipine also known as Procardia. This medication is a brown and round pill that is suppose to stop preterm labor from occurring. It does not stop the contractions completely but slows them down.
- Magnesium Sulfate. Okay, this stuff will turn a pregnant woman from nice to the hulk in seconds. Let me explain. Magnesium Sulfate is administered in an IV for 24 hours or for 48 hours. This is to mature the baby(ies) brain and prevent cerebral palsy. It is also said to prevent preterm labor as well. The side effects of the drug is, grogginess, headache, not being able to think straight, stressed, frustrated and angry to the tenth power. (I will get into detail in another blog).
Water, Water, Water! Drink plenty of it, more than eight glasses. This will help cease the contractions as well.
There is no prevention to cervical opening, it if is opened it will remain open. However, the steps that I mention before will hopefully keep the cervix from not changing. To prevent preterm labor, be aware of the symptoms that I have mentioned. Drink lots of water and stay off the feet as much as possible. Less movement is better.
Until next time.
Have any questions about pregnancy? Email me at jamilatsimmons@gmail.com
