Pregnancy: High-Risk Conditions Community

I've heard of the cervix shortening and thinning, but what is funneling? Didn't the doctor explain it to you?

Funneling, as I understand from my peri, is where the cervix starts to essentially dilate, from the inside out. It is a small change that they look for on the ultrasound, but is a sign of changes in the cervix. It literally looks like a funnel forming fromt he inside of the cervix. It can come and go, which it did with my previous pregnancy. Bedrest is the usual course of treatment this stage of the game. It doens't mean that you will in fact deliver early, but it does show that your cervix is very unstable and that you are at high risk for going into preterm labor.

Hi there, Ditto to everything PP said. SHortening and funnelling both mean that you are at risk for preterm labor. It does't necessarily mean you will have preterm labor or deliver preterm though. It's really hard to gauge. They'll watch you closely. They'll probably have you take it easy for a while, and if changes continue or you have contractions bedrest. However, I had a cervix that was 3.2 at my 22 weeks scan with a little funnelling so we were really happy with that. At 27 1/2 weeks i went in with preterm labor symptoms and they at admittance that i was 'very' short but not dilated. within an hour they had my upstairs for full US eval and found that baby was looking good, no signs of abpruption or low fluid, etc. baby was at about +1 station, my cervix was measuring 0.6-.7 and upon exam when i got done i was about a 1. they started mag sulfate and steroid shots, i stayed on the mag for almost 3 days and the ctx finally slowed down almost stoppd the last day but i wasn't tolerating it well at all. stayed in hospital for about week and a half, went home dilated to almost 2 on strict bedrest. followup in 3 days showed the same, but after two more days i was at 2.5, then by a week later 3. I was 3 cm dilated and almost fully effaced from just over 31 weeks on and didn't deliver until 37 wk 3 days! And the ctx. never stopped completey, they wer all over the board some days none others smal ones almost all the time, soemtimes painful and regular but not for more than an hour or two. Just have faith, don't think the worst yet.

The same happened to me that happened to Kimmy, but unfortunatly I am still in the hospital. I too have history of shortened cervix and premature births. If I am not having contractions and they are not checking my cervix regulary why do they insist on keeping me here? they have me on medicine known as pocardi to keep my uterus from contracting but im getting depression from being here. I would perfer to go home but they dont want me too because i live an hour from the hospital. Could there be alternative solutions to keeping my cervix controlled or am i stuck? I would appreciate anyone's opinion on this.

My advice is to stay at the hospital. I was 25 wks and 1 day when they did and ultrasound and noticed I was funnleing. I was dialated to a one and was told that I would NOT leave the hospital until I had the baby. By the time I got to the hospital that could handle a high risk delivery I was dialted to 4 cm and 80% efaced. 5 days later I had my baby boy....that was in March, due date July. 102 days in the NICU. If I hadn't stayed in the hospital he would have not survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stay put in the hospital if you live so far away you may not have enough time to get back to hospital and im sure the docs can help you with your depression if it gets worse but its safer for you to be there then at home also have they talked to you all botu stiching your cervix closed so it wont open to early this is what they have done with me in the past and are schedulling it ont he 21st of this month for me again plus im gogint o be put on progesterone shots al though im not sure why for the shots but i know why for the stich and all and i also know it gave me my son who is now 5 because with out it i woudl have given birth to early again liek 2 other times in the past but it helped i got to 33 weeks gestation with my son

ty for this!!! 1st carrying my som all the way preg n this helps a lot!! GOD BLESS!!

TY 4 THIS!!! GOD BLESS!!

Try this one and hope it helps. I always use this website to ask for doctors' suggestions online. http://tcrn.ch/NXD7EF

I am in the same position as you but am pregnant with twins. They found the funneling cervix issue at 24 weeks. Admitted me into the hospital right away and kept me there for 3 days then sent me home on bedrest. i am now at 26 weeks and 1 day. They have done ultrasounds weekly so far and at 24 weeks it was 1.03 cm and now it is at . 77 cm. they have told me that i am at a high risk of delivering early and want me to go as long as possible before delivering. This is my first pregnancy so i am very concerned about the shortened cervix and funneling. I dont fully understand what it means but know it is bad.