Cervix checking/Ultrasound

I'm very unhappy & unimpressed with my provider. Will never use them or recommend them after this.

I had to request an ultrasound and a cervix check. I am glad I did because I am already dilating and my baby is breach. My doctor thought the baby was head down. I have been extremely unimpressed with my provider as well and would change if it wasn’t so late in the pregnancy

My doctor said you can get cervix checks as early as 36 weeks if you request them (at the office i go to) and they do a cervix check and membrane sweep as early at 37 weeks if you request that as well. But they also said some people don’t want any until after 40 weeks so it’s up to the patient!

@Lauren they've been so inattentive & unprofessional my whole pregnancy. Literally the only person I actually like is the ultrasound tech 🤣. They did an ultrasound at 30 weeks, said he was measuring a week ahead and that it would be my last ultrasound. I'm already feeling pressure in my cervix area so I think it's strange they won't check it.

My midwife checked me yesterday at 38 weeks but it’s not a standard practice at her office. She said she felt comfortable checking mine since I was clear on the fact that it’s not a good indicator of when labor would actually start. Word of advice though about the LEEP procedure- I’d ask them to check whether you have scar tissue on your cervix from it. I had a significant amount of scar tissue when I had my first and my midwife had to manually break it up for my cervix to dilate the whole way.

I'm not getting an ultrasound in the 3rd trimester; my office doesn't do them after the 20 week anatomy scan unless there's a specific reason to. However, my office also standardizes cervix checks starting at 36 weeks amd every week thereafter (unless you decline, of course), so I had my first check yesterday at exactly 36 weeks! I'm glad I did too, cuz it confirmed a few things (like baby did drop to 0 station, she is head down, the cervix pain was in fact effacement since I'm 80% and 1 cm dilated) and made me both way more comfortable and way more nervous. I'm sorry your provider sucks; I can only imagine how hard that would be and was my biggest fear when i found out I was pregnant (I got super lucky tho, first ob I went to is the one I stuck with cuz she's amazing)

No ultrasounds or cervix checks in my third trimester. Baby has been healthy so no need for an ultrasound again. As fun and calming it can be to see baby they aren’t something you want to do a lot of if not unless necessary.

While for the most part ultrasounds are safe and a great tool, they work with sound waves. The sound waves create heated energy that is not the best for baby. To much exposure can cause harm in some circumstances.

As for cervix checks they don’t mean much. You can be 3cm dilated rn and go past your due date or 0cm dilated and have your baby tomorrow by dilating all in one day. Cervix checks can also be painful and cause discomfort after which is why I would prefer not to do one. However, they don’t cause harm and if you are requesting one I don’t see why your doctor won’t check. You are the patient and your wants, needs and comforts matter.

I had a quick ultrasound at 36 weeks to make sure baby was head down. This was the only ultrasound I had my whole last trimester. My provider is Kaiser. They will not check my cervix until I ask them or I am 39 weeks.

Mine started check at 36 weeks, and I haven't heard anything about an ultrasound before delivery

I just figured they'd want to verify babies position before birth to avoid delivery complications. But I guess it makes me feel better that not everyone is getting it done, so I feel less neglected lol

My provider just did my ultrasound this past Monday, to check baby’s position. I haven’t had a cervical check yet, I’m 38 weeks today

Mine started checking weekly at 36

My doctor couldn't check my cervix because she was kind of rough when she inserted the speculum into me so I screamed a lot in pain, she has scheduled me for an appointment for an ultrasound to see the baby's position, I'm 36 weeks 5 days

I'm 38.5 weeks and high risk but my provider doesn't really do anything
No cervix checks at all (and I've asked). I'm being induced at exactly 39 weeks so going in blind 🤷

I love your response. Everything you said makes total sense!

I didn’t get a single cervix check until my active labor last pregnancy (I birthed with midwives at a birthing center) and it was optional (I was just curious during labor so I said go for it) cervical checks come with risk of infection or messing with your natural hormone progression in birth. They aren’t actually necessary at all as you can go from 1-10cm in 2 hours or be at 3cm for a whole month

So I went in today (36weeks) and asked the same and they told me 39/40 weeks they will start checking unless something comes up like fluid leaking, water break, etc. or if I request it. I’m having my last ultrasound next week (37weeks)to see how big baby is. Today she did a quick one just to see if he was head down and he was and look at fluid amount.

Got offered my first one today at 38 weeks

I had an untrasound at 37 weeks just to confirm that he’s head down. I didn’t think I was going to get anymore. They didn’t mention cervix checks. My doc is very noninvasive. His mindset is usually, it won’t make a difference so why mess with it?

@Sami I guess I didn't realize it was so invasive? I figured they'd just shine a light in there and be able to estimate 🤣

@Natha oh its definitely invasive af! Basically your ob puts gloves on, lubes up, and inserts 1-2 fingers. They will feel how soft you cervix is by touch, feel for effacement by literally using their finger to measure the depth of the opening of your cervix (think sticking their finger into your cervical opening), and measure dilation either with finger tip or the spread of two fingers depending on how dilated you are. My ob was super gentle and talked me through the whole thing, but it was still uncomfortable af with a short bit of pain at one part that made me wince (and I tend to have a high pain tolerance). I'm not 100% sure that that's how *all* obs do it, but I do know it's the generalized standard procedure for most cervix checks. I'm glad I got mine tho; I like knowing what my body is doing even if it doesn't really tell me when I'll go into labor!

@Natha here's a solid article on the procedure and pros and cons/what to expect/what it will and won't tell you!

https://www.pittsburghbirthservices.com/blog/cervical-exams-during-pregnancy