The Loose Cervix and the Bed rest: A pregnant woman's dilemma

It was during my antenatal that I first heard about pregnant women who had to be remanded to bed rest for days, weeks or throughout the span of their pregnancy. I was shocked. A few days remanded to a bed could be tortuous but for months? That is something no one would not want to deal with. It was not because they planned it that way but because of certain conditions they may be having in their pregnancy. One of these conditions is what is called the loose or incompetent cervix.
The incompetent cervix is a condition in which the cervix is likely to open/dilate prematurely and when this happens, the life of the baby is threatened because the baby is born prematurely. So depending on how critical the woman’s situation is, she may be remanded to different categories of bed rest. It could be the woman decreasing her activity for a period of time and avoiding heavy housework but she can move freely around the house or she might need to remaining sitting or in reclining position most of the time, only getting up to use the toilet or shower. Even light household chores are exempted until her baby is born. In some situations, total bed rest is prescribed. Here, she might need to lie on her side at all times, even while eating. She is likely to receive a sponge bath while lying on her bed. This type may require hospitalization.

To treat this condition, rubber or plastic device may be put inside her vagina to support her cervix or surgically tie the cervix close until it is closer to the time of delivery, when the tie is removed.

Now why did I want to share this? It made me appreciate how complex it is when a woman goes through pregnancy and puts to bed. To some people who must have gone through it without complications, it seems like a normal thing, a walk through and they fail to see God’s mercy that had caused them to put to bed safely. So our dear husbands, abeg, ejor, biko appreciate your wives. She deserves your love and respect. When she is pregnant, pamper her because she puts her life at risk just to birth your baby.
God bless the women!