Healthy intrauterine development of a baby is impossible if the expectant mother has any pathologies of the female genital organs. During pregnancy, doctors regularly assess the condition of the cervix. It is especially important to carry out such diagnostics at the earliest stages of carrying a baby.
Physiology
The cervix is a kind of entrance to the uterus. This organ is a continuation of the cervical canal. The normal size of the cervix is very important. Deviations from the norm can lead to the fact that a woman and her baby will develop various pathologies.
The location of the uterus and cervical canal is determined during an extended gynecological examination, which is held by the expectant mother on the armchair.
The size of the cervix in most healthy women is from 3 to 4.5 cm. A change in this indicator is a very important clinical sign of the development of many pathologies.
The unstable hormonal background contributes to the fact that the size of the cervix can change. This is especially evident in the second half of pregnancy.
If, when carrying a baby in a woman, doctors determine a shortening of the size of the cervix, this is a manifestation of a pathology that requires correction.
Condition before ovulation
The cervix is adjacent to the vagina in its lower part. In non-pregnant women, this area is hard. Already in the first weeks of pregnancy it becomes loose and softened. The position of the vaginal part of the uterus before menstruation may change somewhat. This condition is usually detected by a gynecologist during a gynecological examination.
In different periods of a woman's menstrual cycle, the cervix is different. In the period before ovulation, its hardness is maximum. The cervical canal is narrowed as much as possible. This condition is physiological.
Strong narrowing of the cervical canal is necessary at this stage of the female cycle in order to prevent conception.
Into ovulation
During this period of the female cycle, the state of the cervix changes. It becomes looser and softer. If the gynecologist conducts a study during such a period, then he will also detect the closure of the internal os of the uterus. Doctors call this emerging condition a symptom or sign of the pupil.
The cervix also rises slightly during this period. If the location of the genital organ is non-physiological, then this situation can lead to the fact that the woman will develop adverse symptoms. Usually, in this case, a pulling soreness appears, and white discharge from the genital tract begins to appear.
During this period of the female cycle, the secretion of cervical mucus increases. It is necessary for successful conception to occur. It is thanks to this secret that the sperm can penetrate into the uterus and to the egg.
If the fusion of the sex cells of a man and a woman does not occur, then the next stage of the menstrual cycle begins.
After ovulation
During this period of the female cycle, the position of the cervix changes. This organ begins to shift downward. During a gynecological examination, the doctor determines that the cervix becomes dry and somewhat dense to the touch. The diameter of the cervical canal is insignificant.
This period is characterized by the fact that the cervix is not ready for sperm penetration... A changing hormonal background contributes to the appearance of such changes. Female sex hormones act on epithelial cells, which leads to the development of their specific changes.
Early pregnancy
During the gynecological examination, the doctor evaluates several clinical parameters. It determines the location, tone, color, shape and density of the cervix.
In the first weeks of pregnancy, the color of the mucous membranes of this organ changes. This zone changes its color from pale pink to maroon. The density of the cervix before the missed period is also different. All clinical indicators change with the course of pregnancy.
During a gynecological examination, doctors already in the first days of pregnancy reveal plethora of blood vessels. During this period, the tone of the uterus also changes.
If it is too pronounced, then such a situation is already a manifestation of pathology - hypertonicity. In this case, more careful monitoring of the expectant mother is required throughout the pregnancy.
Typical changes in the cervix begin to occur in the first half of pregnancy. Even in the earliest periods after conception the density of the organ changes. The cervix becomes softer.
The lumen of this body also changes. First, the cervix is ajar. As pregnancy progresses, the diameter of the cervical canal gradually decreases.
This physiological response is necessary to prevent the woman from having a premature birth.
The location of the uterus in the small pelvis is a very important clinical sign. It may be tilted too far forward or off to the side. In this case, the course of pregnancy can be pathological. In such a situation, a woman needs more careful observation throughout the entire period of bearing her baby.
In the early weeks of pregnancy, the lining of the cervix looks smooth. This is due to the large amount of cervical mucus that the epithelial cells of the cervical canal produce. Such a biological secret is necessary in order to protect the organs of the small pelvis and the developing baby from infection.
With the course of pregnancy, the mucous membranes of the cervix become looser. Usually, this situation develops by the third trimester of pregnancy. If the cervix becomes too soft or loose, the expectant mother may even need to be hospitalized.
Many women try to palpate the cervix on their own. It should be noted right away that don't do it. It is impossible to identify signs of pregnancy with this method on your own. In this case, only the risk of a secondary infection is high.
If a woman has a delay in menstruation after unprotected intercourse, then she should immediately seek advice from a gynecologist.
How to determine the condition of the cervix in the early stages?
To identify pathologies of the cervix, it is not always necessary to conduct a gynecological examination. Usually, the doctor conducts such studies only on indications. More often, doctors resort to prescribing transvaginal ultrasound to monitor developing disorders.
If a woman's cervix is long and there is no shortening, frequent gynecological examinations are not required. It should be noted that the appearance of pathologies of the cervix occurs at the earliest stages of pregnancy.
It is no coincidence that several clinical examinations are carried out during pregnancy. Until 20 weeks, the cervix should be the same as before in the first days after conception of the baby. At the same time, no significant changes in this organ are observed. This is due to a gradual change in hormonal levels.
In this case, both cervical os remain completely closed. At the same time, the dimensions of this organ are from 4 to 4.5 cm. If in a woman this indicator decreases to 2 cm, then in this case the doctors speak of shortening.
Normally, the length of the uterus should be within the normal range. Only after 20 weeks does a slight physiological shortening of this organ begin to occur. This condition develops almost until the 28th week of pregnancy.
Subsequently, the size of the cervix continues to decrease. This situation is necessary for natural childbirth.
How do pathologies manifest?
Doctors distinguish several risk groups, which include women with certain pathologies. In order to assess this risk, the history is very important. If a woman had abortions, especially complicated ones, before the previous conception of the baby, then in this case, more careful monitoring of her pregnancy is required.
The use of forceps and other ancillary medical instruments during a previous pregnancy may damage the cervix.
Hormonal imbalance only contributes to the fact that the woman's progesterone level is significantly reduced. In this situation, doctors usually prescribe special hormonal drugs to pregnant women.
Expectant mothers carrying twins or triplets also have a higher risk of developing various pathologies of the cervix. Such pathological conditions appear in multiple pregnancies already at its earliest stages.
Low placenta previa very often leads to the development of various pathologies of the cervix. Usually, this pathology is formed by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy.
The lack of full-fledged medical control over the development of this condition can contribute to the development of extremely dangerous pathologies for both the expectant mother and her baby.
Women who have been diagnosed by doctors with cervical erosion even before the onset or in the early stages of pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing various pathologies. In this case, careful monitoring and selection of tactics for monitoring the expectant mother is required.
If, by the end of the first trimester, doctors suspected a woman's isthmic-cervical insufficiency, then she is referred for additional examination. For this she undergoes an ultrasound examination. In some cases, this can lead a doctor to refer a woman for hospitalization in a hospital.
It is possible to suspect isthmic-cervical insufficiency already in the very early stages of pregnancy. In this case, the cervix opens too early. Usually, it opens significantly already by 8-12 weeks of pregnancy. Such a pathology is fraught with the fact that a spontaneous miscarriage may occur.
Isthmico-cervical insufficiency can also lead to infection of the fetus and internal female genital organs. If this pathology manifests itself in the early stages of pregnancy, as a rule, it is prescribed hormone therapy. The use of more invasive procedures is carried out somewhat later.
If the pathological condition is significantly expressed, then in this case suturing may be required. This procedure is carried out already in a hospital setting. In this case, the stitches are placed on the cervix. They are removed closer to childbirth.
It is important to note that ischemic-cervical insufficiency is not an absolute contraindication for natural childbirth. If the sutures are applied on time, and the treatment tactics are selected correctly, then a woman can independently give birth to a baby without using a cesarean section.
Even pathologies of the cervix that occurred at the beginning of pregnancy and detected in a timely manner can be controlled and effectively prevented.
For the norms of the length of the cervix during pregnancy, see the following video.
