Understanding Infections During Pregnancy: A Personal Account

Question
In June of this year I lost a baby boy at 20 weeks due to ptl and based on the examination of the placenta I was told I had an acute infection, chorioamnionitis. At about 14 weeks i began to notice a strange green colored discharge and some red spotting and my dr did not check me for anything and told me that it was probably a yeast inf. This discharge continued on and off for about 5 weeks when i went into er for braxton hick ctx. They did u/s and told me my cervix had begun to thin and I had a uti. As soon as I left the er I began to have a bloody mucous, went back and told them and they told me to watch it and come back if it gets heavier. Less than 2 days later i woke about 4 am with strong and painful contractions and went to l&d. I was in labor and by the time they checked my cervix the bag of water had been bulging through at that time so i deliverd my son about 10 min later. I am now 12.5 weeks preg and concerned whether this could have been a case of incompetent cervix or not and if i do remain healthy for this preg, infection free, do i have a chance of developing i/c? I have had some brown spotting for the last week off and on and only a little bit but it started about 3 days after having sex with my husband. Could this be an infection or is it normal with preg for the spotting to last that long? i am very worried and plan to ask my dr about cerclage anyway just to be safe and just wanted another dr their opinion. thanks for any info you can give me!

Answer
Dear Shanna,

I'm sorry to hear about your previous pregnancy loss. When that happens, especially that far along, it makes us apprehensive for every pregnancy thereafter. That part is perfectly natural. Please know however, this is not "another doctor's" opinion - I am an RN with experience in the area of OB, as well as other fields.

More than likely your cervix began to thin and dilate in response to the infection. I would suspect that your body simply recognized that there was a "foreign" source causing havoc and started its own process of ridding itself of the infectious source, or what it thought was the source, in order to try and heal.

I do feel you should note the spotting to your doctor at your next visit. More than likely it is hormonal or related to some cervical irritation caused by the sexual activity and nothing to be concerned about, but with your pregnancy history, you should note any spotting or abnormal discharge to your doctor during the pregnancy. There is no harm in asking about a cerclage. Your doctor can do a simple trans-vaginal ultrasound and the length of your cervix can be measured to determine whether you are at all at risk for having an incompetent cervix.

Please be aware that you should never wear a tampon or introduce anything else into the vaginal area such as douche or sexual intercourse if you are currently experiencing bleeding. It is also useful to wear a pad or pantiliner so that you can accurately judge the amount of spotting/bleeding to report to your doctor.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well and a Merry Christmas.

Brenda