TAC in T minus 1 Month!

One month from today, I will be headed for Chicago to have a TAC placed. A TAC (or trans-abdominal cerclage) is a stitch placed very high on the cervix that prevents it from dilating prematurely. Most OBs, including mine, recommend a TVC (or trans-vaginal cerclage) that is performed vaginally, and placed much lower on the cervix. After researching both procedures, I discovered that the success rate for a TAC was about 95-98% to FULL TERM, while a TVC was “successful” about 75% of the time to VIABILITY. Viability is considered 24 weeks. This was not acceptable to me. Most doctors will only recommend a TAC after a loss with a TVC, which I think is insane. It’s like these doctors don’t consider these babies as real humans. If this procedure affected adults I’m sure there would be no controversy. I know these are bold words, but I just don’t understand how they can recommend TVCs. I could not live with myself if I went that route and lost another child.

PROS: 1) This will fix me. I will be able to carry a baby full term and can have a normal pregnancy. The surgeon told me he could give me a 100% chance that I will not lose another baby to IC. Wow. 2) No bed rest (unless other issues present, of course). He said that I could do whatever a normal pregnant person would do, as as soon as the crappy cervix is out of the picture, I will be normal. NORMAL. Double wow. 3) No stress. Ok that’s a lie, but I will know I did everything in my power to make sure the next pregnancy goes as well as possible. 4) The TAC is permanent. Once it’s in, it’s there for however many pregnancies I want.

CONS: 1) The biggest drawback of the TAC is that I will have to have a C-section. At this point, I couldn’t care less. As long as baby is happy and healthy, I can handle some slicing. Obviously it’s not my first choice, but having a crappy cervix wasn’t either. 2) Another con is that I have to have surgery to have it placed. It’s an incision similar to a c-section, and recovery will be several weeks. I’m not looking forward to that part of it, but the relief I know I will feel will definitely outweigh it.

For me there is no hesitation. After my consult with Dr. Haney (my TAC surgeon) I immediately asked when I could get it done. I’m super excited about getting it done, though a little nervous about going under. I know it will be ok though. Dr. Haney has an amazing record.

And for those of you wondering, the stitch is like a handcuff, its a circle that allows certain things in and out, but as the baby gets big, it won’t let her through. It provides the support that a normal cervix would, but can’t stretch like a regular one, hence the c-section.

The countdown begins! 1 month to go!