From the moment I found out we were carrying twins, I had a funny feeling this pregnancy wouldn’t be a walk in the park. I knew lots of twin moms that had gone on to have completely normal twin pregnancies so I crossed my fingers that I wouldn’t have any big scary complications. 

The first trimester was pretty awful, the extreme nausea and vomiting really took its toll on me. I spent Christmas day in the emergency room getting IV fluids and anti nausea medications. The nausea never fully subsided unfortunately but it let up a little bit into my second trimester and I was thankful for that. Around 14 weeks pregnant I tested positive for Covid-19. I had body aches, fever, cough and extreme shortness of breath but I made out fine at home. 

My 19 week ultrasound approached and we were so excited to find out the gender of the babies. My husband was not allowed to attend my ultrasounds at this time due to covid restrictions. I drove an hour and thirty minutes to the clinic as we live in a rural town and I had my scan, the ultrasound tech left the room and told me to wait there. After about 30 minutes passed I suspected something might be wrong. The maternal fetal medicine doctor came into the room and advised me she was sending me straight to the hospital as my cervix had shortened/funelled and I was at high risk of going into preterm labour. My husband and daughter dropped me off at one of the big hospitals in the city where four different doctors told me there was a very good chance I was not going to make it to viability with these babies. I was devastated. Again, due to covid restrictions I was alone during this visit. 

After many discussions with many different doctors, we decided to have a rescue cerclage placed. A rescue cerclage is a suture that is used to close a cervix that has shortened or opened in pregnancy. The use of a cervical cerclage in twin pregnancy is very controversial and there is little to no supporting evidence suggesting it would even work. They admitted me to the hospital and I waited. I woke early the following morning and called my oldest daughter Brooklyn, I cried to her on facetime and apologized for missing her birthday. They took me to the operating room early that morning and the cervical cerclage was placed with no complications. I was grateful for that. After the spinal anesthesia wore off they said I could go home and spend the rest of Brooklyn's birthday with her. I was officially put off work at this point and was told to go home and take it easy. (They did not believe bed rest would benefit me so they put me on light activity).

Every ultrasound thereafter, my cervix would shorten a little more but the cerclage remained in place which was good. It was the strangest thing having a completely normal pregnancy with Brooklyn and then every single appointment with the twins essentially being told your situation is deteriorating, it is getting worse. Each time though, the doctors at the ultrasound clinic sent me to labour and delivery to be monitored and assessed. I received two doses of steroids to help the babies lungs grow and around 28 weeks the doctor said “Your cervix is measuring 4 mm, it can’t get any worse at this point so lets forego the ultrasounds and just hope for the best”. I took things easy at home, just doing some light cleaning and preparing for the babies and at twenty nine weeks pregnant I did in fact go into preterm labour. I had assumed I was just peeing my pants (because iykyk) but apparently early in the day my water had broken so by the time we made it to the hospital I was 10cm dilated and there was nothing we could do but deliver.

At the end of the day, my rescue cerclage gave me ten extra weeks which is precious precious time that my twins needed to grow strong and healthy. For that I am eternally grateful. I thought for a long time that my body had failed me, it was difficult to live with. Seeing my tiny babies in their isolettes in the NICU I wondered every minute of everyday what I did wrong. After months of self reflection I know that I did everything I could and I am so grateful to have two healthy babies here with me today. If you are dealing with this in a singleton or multiples pregnancy. Just know you are doing it mama. You are doing your best for that baby/those babies. It is a mentally hard thing to go through and please reach out or comment if you want to chat about your experience. 

Emergency Cervical Cerclage - PMC (nih.gov) - Cervical Cerclage Explained

Incompetent Cervix: Causes, Treatments & Tests (clevelandclinic.org) - Incompetent Cervix/Cervical insufficiency