Is it normal to have dilated cervix without labor?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have a few questions. I had a child about two years ago, my cervix still feels open, almost like I am still dilated. Is that normal? I just got off of my period, a week after my period ended, I was having extremely light spotting, almost not noticeable. Yesterday, I had spotting only when I wiped. Today it is light, almost like the first day of a period. It is not bright blood; it is more of a dark color, but not brown. I have pretty normal periods, so I am concerned.

Sleeping pills such as Unisom and Melatonin have the opposite effect on me. I was given a Trazadone, hoping I would be able to sleep on that, and it gave me the opposite effect as well. I have trouble sleeping at night and find it hard to stay asleep. I find it extremely difficult to focus during the day, even when I have had a decent sleep, especially when I am in class. I do not know what to do.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern. According to your statement, you have been suffering from the dilated cervix's feeling, spotting between periods, sleeping difficulties at night, and lack of focus or concentration.

Cervical dilatation without labor may result from some conditions like some surgical or gynecological procedures like D and C, cervical trauma or tear during previous labor, uterine abnormalities, and genetic disorders affecting a fibrous type of proteins that makes your body's connective tissue or collagen may cause, exposure to an estrogen hormone called diethylstilbestrol, black women are more prone to develop, etc.

Spotting may result from other than pregnancy-related causes: OCP (oral contraceptive pils), trauma, uterine or cervical polyps, sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and thyroid problems, polycystic ovarian syndrome, stress, medications, etc.

In some cases, sleeping pills have started to interfere with sleep. Again, if your body may develop a tolerance for the sleeping medications, you may need to take more to get the same effect or sleep. Lack of proper sleep, hangover effects of sleeping pills, anxiety, stress, hypoglycemia, anemia, and many more causes can hamper concentration or focus.

Treatment depends on causes. Some investigations like pelvic ultrasound or transvaginal ultrasound, urethral or vaginal swab for C/S, CBC (complete blood count), RBS (random blood sugar), thyroid function tests, etc., help to detect the underlying causes for your present sufferings and then treat them accordingly.

Your present and past history of medications, contraceptive methods, history of diseases, and any relevant history are important to find out the underlying causes.

I hope this helps.