incompetent cervix
Noun (Medical/Obstetrics): A condition where the cervix (the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina) is weakened and begins to dilate (open) and/or efface (shorten) too early during a pregnancy, typically during the second trimester, without contractions or labor. This can lead to pregnancy loss (miscarriage) or premature birth.
The term is used specifically in medical contexts to diagnose a cause of mid-trimester pregnancy loss or extreme prematurity. It describes a structural or functional insufficiency of the cervical tissue. * The ultrasound confirmed that the cause of the previous losses was an incompetent cervix. * A history of painless cervical dilation in the second trimester is characteristic of incompetent cervix.
- The condition is formally known as cervical insufficiency. "Incompetent cervix" remains a common clinical term, though some prefer "cervical insufficiency" as it may be perceived as less stigmatizing.
- It is often discussed in the context of a cerclage, which is a surgical procedure to stitch the cervix closed as a treatment.
- Cervical insufficiency (n): The more formal medical term for the same condition.
- Cerclage (n): A common surgical treatment for an incompetent cervix.
- Cervix (n): The anatomical structure that is affected.
- Cervical insufficiency
- Weak cervix (a less formal, descriptive term)
This is a specialized medical term. It is not used in general conversation and carries significant clinical and emotional weight for patients. The adjective "incompetent" here is used in its medical sense of "inadequate" or "not functionally sufficient," not as a judgment on a person.
-
(obstetrics) uterine cervix that becomes dilated before term and without labor often resulting in miscarriage or premature birth
