QuestionHello doctor,
I am 37 years old this is my second pregnancy I have an 8 year old who was delivered at 40weeks all natural.
I am 34 weeks today and in every appointment with current doctor I have had internal exam,no idea why as my pregnancy was progressing perfectly according to him.Since week 27 he said my cervix was soft,at 31 weeks that is was closed but thin and 32 weeks that I was 1 fingertip dilated where he put my on bed rest and prescribed 6 progesteron pills a day.At 33 weeks no change so he asked me to continue with everything.
I have had no discharge,no contractions and baby is excellent so far waighing a week ahead of her time.
My concern is he is adamant I need hospitalisation if there is any more dilation and this for me is impossible because I have NO help for my 8 year old and we live now in foreign country because my husband works here 12 hours a day.
I do my bedrest feel fine and read that even at 3 cm women are out of hospital.
My questions are two.
Why at 34 and half weeks would I want to go on hospital bed rest and hospital medications for dilation when I have had no contractions at least noticeable and baby and me are totally healthy?
And I never took the pills as I am against drugs and please let me know if progesterone pills at this stage will do me any good.Doc insists I take them but I did not.
I never took anything with my son and so far in this pregnancy.
Is is normal to send woman in hospital at this stage for a 2 or 3 cm dilation? I dont trust this doctor anymore although I did I feel now he wants to send me to the clinique ( expensive private one that he works for)without respect to fact I need to care for my boy and the clinique is 10 minutes away anyway so I can always go there if I need to.
Please let me know if you think his opinion is right or should I insist about staying at home in bed and just hang in there!!!
AnswerDear Vicky
Your doctor is obviously scared that you may have a preterm labor and delivery. Early softening and dilatation of the cervix can be alarming signs. That is why he advised bed rest and progesterone. However, he should have prescribed some corticosteroids to enhance the baby's lung maturity should delivery occurred in order to minimize the respiratory complications for the baby that is common with preterm deliveries. It seems strange if he advised bed rest and progesterone without corticosteroids.
You may try to have a clinical examination by a second doctor to give you the advise based on examination. I cannot give you an advise based on your complaint here.
Good Luck
