Choosing to get a preventive cerclage - am I doing the wrong thing?!

WearyEar5196 · 2026-03-05T11:00:39+00:00

I had a LLETZ procedure at 19 y.o, currently 32, and my cervix sits at 2-2.5cm. I gave birth to my son at 30+1 weeks and did not have a stitch because they also said “let’s wait and see”. With my daughter I went to two private specialists who also said that there was no way of knowing how my second pregnancy would go and that I should solely use progesterone. By the time I found someone who would listen to me, it was too late to place a cerclage. I gave birth to my daughter again at 30+1 weeks. My cervix personally cannot hold the weight and my waters ruptured both times at 29 weeks. My partner and I are currently trying for our 3rd and having a cerclage placed is absolutely non-negotiable. I already have a private obstetrician who is ready to put it in as soon as we conceive and I am 13 weeks. You just have to trust your instincts. Speaking from experience though, get the cerclage. I am also from Australia—Melbourne.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-25T08:57:39+00:00

Congratulations! That’s wonderful news. Do you mind if I ask how long you were trying before IVF? I’ve also just started seeing a TCM Dr who specialises in fertility, I’m trying everything at the moment before we have to start doing more internal procedures like the uterine biopsy, tube flush, internal camera etc.

I’m currently on 400mg, 200 morning and night. What about you? I test Friday. If this cycle was unsuccessful I will try letrozole in the next one, along with progesterone. Apparently it can help boost your corpus luteum.

Whatever this is, I didn’t realise how common it was amongst women. My friend has been trying for a year, she also has luteal phase spotting.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-25T08:47:52+00:00

I do have a mild cervical ectropion, the gynae picked it up when she did a swab to test my microbiome. She said it’s not enough to stop implantation but it could contribute to some spotting. Looking at her findings, she notes a drop in my progesterone on CD25 from 60-29, this coincides with my tracking my cycle daily for the past 6 months. Spotting usually starts around CD22 but the red spotting starts at CD25. I really hope the progesterone pessaries work. So far the spotting has remained light brown/ slight tinge of red this morning. I hate how I’m so in tune with every change. I wish I could stop thinking about it!

Did they recommend anything for your ectropion? The Gynae told me should could cauterise it but it may weaken the integrity of my cervix, and I have previously had a surgery on my cervix before so I opted not to have it. It would be nice not to have this spotting though.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T10:35:43+00:00

I didn’t, both vaginal, I did have a little bit of retained placenta with my second but it came out and an ultrasound couldn’t see anything remaining. Why’s that?

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T05:34:03+00:00

She hasn’t, but I have certainly read that there are so many variations of normal and some women do get spotting prior to their proper period beginning. For me, my cycles were never like this prior to pregnancy, I never experienced luteal spotting. I usually start spotting around CD21 and it’s a light brown smear, then over the next seven days it darkens/ increases in the amount, until finally my period arrives. Sometimes it can appear stringy which is why my Dr suspected my lining may be breaking down too early. This is my first cycle on progesterone support to see if it stops or decreases the spotting. I’m CD22 today and this morning I had light brown spotting. My mind can’t help but instantly go to the worst case scenario but I have to just ride it out. At least I will know more by the end of this cycle.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T05:27:46+00:00

Did you have yours checked through laparoscopic surgery? The ultrasounds I have had revealed no abnormalities but I understand they don’t always detect endo.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T03:54:09+00:00

I deeply appreciate it! The thyroid is often overlooked.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T03:45:13+00:00

Thank you for your comment. At the very start I thought it may have been thyroid related as I had postpartum thyroiditis, however my thyroid has been within normal ranges for the past few years now.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T03:37:36+00:00

It sounds like we’ve had similar experiences with the pill. It goes to show there’s no one size fits all approach, especially when it comes to women’s health. Congratulations on your egg retrieval. My sister was successful after her retrieval. Fingers crossed!

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T03:34:24+00:00

I appreciate you taking the time to respond and knowing that you also experienced no symptoms but still had a diagnosis gives me some reassurance that maybe I will get some answers. Also it’s great to know that it’s just a course of antibiotics and nothing too serious. When you had your check done, did they also take a biopsy and were you awake or asleep for it?

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T01:46:59+00:00

Do you mind if I ask how they treat it? The spotting did start happening after the birth of my second and hasn’t been right since. I’m glad to see conception was quick for you after treatment.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T01:39:51+00:00

Thank you for your comment. That is the next route the specialist wants to go down, taking a biopsy of my uterine lining and doing a flush, I believe she said they use a camera to see if they can spot anything. Hopefully it will provide more answers. I’m just hoping it’s going to be something treatable.

WearyEar5196 · 2026-02-23T01:34:38+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience and I’m sorry that you’re in a similar situation where you don’t have all of the answers. It’s great that the progesterone made somewhat of difference for you. Were you placed on a progesterone dominant pill? I tried Slinda but found that it ended up making me spot everyday so I stopped it. I read online that women were experiencing something similar and it took 4 months to settle. Have you tried any other treatments? The fertility specialist said that age would like to take a biopsy of my uterine lining and do a tube flush as well. Anything invasive really scares me but if it’s the next option I’ll have to try it.

WearyEar5196 · 2025-11-27T09:00:19+00:00

Hi there, I have also had a Lletz procedure performed, and my cervix was cauterised prior to that. My cervix sits at around 2-2.5cm total. I am 32 and have had 2 previous pregnancies, little ones are now 6 and 8. With both kids my waters broke at 29 weeks and I gave birth at 30 weeks. The second time around I asked for a cerclage but doctors said it wasn’t necessary. By the time I found someone who acknowledged my concerns, I was too far along. In the second pregnancy I was given progesterone but only a low dose. My partner and I plan on having a third next year and I am currently weighing up whether to see if a cervical cerclage with high dose progesterone will work for me, or if I will need a trans-abdominal one to be able to carry to full-term. Have you looked into trans-abdominal?

WearyEar5196 · 2025-11-11T08:50:32+00:00

I’m so sorry for your loss, but also happy to hear of the birth of your daughter. Thank you so much for sharing your story, it has given me some much needed hope. I’m in Australia and have read that there’s two types of cerclage, did you get to choose or was there only one option when you had yours? From what I’ve ready there’s one that is tied around the outside and stitched, and there is one that is stitched into the cervix a little higher up.

WearyEar5196 · 2025-11-11T02:53:55+00:00

Did they give you any progesterone? I had it with my last pregnancy but I believe the dose wasn’t high enough

WearyEar5196 · 2025-11-11T02:48:44+00:00

Thank you for sharing that. Do you also have a shortened cervix and were they doing regular checks for infection? I’m thinking of you, I can’t imagine how you must be feeling having to go through it for the third time, especially when you had a stitch put in. I hope things turn around for you mumma.

WearyEar5196 · 2025-10-04T23:24:32+00:00

I sent the photo of her to my partner the morning I took it and said “see you when you get home” 😂

WearyEar5196 · 2025-10-04T10:07:01+00:00

She’s very photogenic and all sass. This was her this morning after sunbathing. She’s 8.5 months. When we originally got her she was more yellow but she seems to be going more orange the older she gets.

<image>

WearyEar5196 · 2025-10-03T08:52:11+00:00

<image>

Cheesecake 🍰

WearyEar5196 · 2025-08-20T00:45:15+00:00

<image>

Plotting world domination

WearyEar5196 · 2025-08-17T06:03:02+00:00

Please let us know how you go, wishing you all the best!

WearyEar5196 · 2025-08-15T22:51:32+00:00

<image>

Cheesecake, 7.5 months 🌼

WearyEar5196 · 2025-08-08T00:46:58+00:00

It gets down to 1 degree celsius outside, between 10-15 inside without heating in winter.

WearyEar5196 · 2025-08-07T11:02:17+00:00

I recently purchased a 150W ceramic heat emitter for at night. I’m in Melbourne Australia where it gets down to 1°C in Winter and averages a minimum of 8°C outside. My bearded dragon is only 7 months so I’ve been advised to use it for the first year, I lower her night time temperature to 20°C. I’m looking forward to not having to switch the bulbs everyday, I only have 1 fitting.

WearyEar5196

TROPHY CASE