After Your Cerclage
Your surgery is over!
We hope you are feeling pretty good, although you will have some discomfort from the surgery for 1-2 days. There will be some bleeding or spotting for approximately 3-4 days, lessening in amount and color every day. The amount of blood should be less than a period.
You will also have some pain in the surgical area for 24-48 hours and most likely will experience uterine cramping (like strong menstrual cramps) for about 24 hours. These discomforts can be reduced with medications - which will not harm your pregnancy and will make you feel much better. In certain cases (Shirodkar cerclage), absorbable sutures may have been used. The sutures may be expelled from the vagina in the days to weeks following the procedure and you need not be alarmed if this happens.
Your surgeon has probably told you how the surgery went and you have seen the baby's heart beating, along with some kicking and stretching, on the ultrasound screen. We cannot tell the sex or any other significant details about the baby at this time - you will probably have a more detailed ultrasound later in your pregnancy.
Medications at home
You have been given a prescription form for several medications - you (or your support person) must take this to a pharmacy to get the prescription filled. California Pacific Medical Center's in-house pharmacy does not provide outpatient medications.
Indomethacin is a drug which will keep your uterine cramping under control. Because this medication is similar to aspirin or ibuprofen, it is a good idea to take this pill with some food and plenty of water. You should start this pill about four hours after your surgery, take exactly as your doctor has ordered and finish the entire prescription (usually 8 pills).
Vicodin (hydrocodone and aspirin) is a pain medication which will decrease the pain after your surgery. This medicine should be taken only if you need it for moderate - severe pain. Since it contains a narcotic-type pain reliever, it may make you sleepy, nauseated or slightly constipated.
An antibiotic (usually Keflex®) is not always prescribed - your surgeon will decide if you need it or not. If your prescription includes an antibiotic, please take exactly as your doctor has prescribed and finish the entire prescription (usually enough for seven days after your surgery).
Please tell the surgeon if you are allergic to any of the above medications.
When to call your doctor
Please call the physician who performed your cerclage if you have:
- Bleeding like or more than a period
- Fever (temperature) 101° or above
At this visit, the doctor will check the length of your cervix with ultrasound and ask you some important questions. Based on this information, the doctor will discuss your individualized plan of care, including any restrictions on activity, if necessary. If you have been referred by your primary obstetrician, he/she will be sent copies of the surgical report and will continue to see you for the duration of your pregnancy.