63,000 families a year are at risk of potential preterm birth. 1 in 100 pregnancies face a diagnosis of what is called an “incompetent cervix”. 100% of the IC community surveyed agreed that they felt blindsided by a diagnosis that puts them at risk to become a 1 in 4 statistic which is how many families experience infant loss. Why aren’t we doing everything we can to help these families? 

We, the team behind Incompetent Cervix Awareness Campaign, ask the NIH, ACOG, & HRSA to step up and help us save lives. 

• First, help us make sure that early Cervical scans are covered under insurance across the US under preventative care screenings.
• Second, provide our community with clearer facts and more inclusive resources regarding the diagnosis.
• Third, show us that research is being done. Make findings more accessible and require all ER at least know the signs and symptoms so that they can refer women to MFM instead of dismissing their symptoms

Our names are Jessica Garver and Madeleine Michalik. Jessica is the founder of the Incompetent Cervix Awareness Campaign, a non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness, expand resources, and create support networks for those diagnosed with an “Incompetent Cervix.” Madeleine Michalik is a board member of the IC Awareness Campaign and the founder of Early Cervical Opening, a campaign based on her master’s thesis research calling out gendered medical terminology in relation to the “Incompetent Cervix” diagnosis.

We see some championing for legislations that are opening up more help for our community. The Support Through Loss Act would cradle families in our community after loss, and we are grateful to see the legislature includes a heavy investment in research into miscarriages and pregnancy loss. As champions for change in the Incompetent Cervix community, much of our time and energy is spent advocating for research and policy development in relation to this diagnosis. But we need to see preventative measures being taken for our community.

Families suffer preventable losses or experience long NICU stays as providers continue to silence, ignore, and belittle patients that present with symptoms of early cervical opening/dilation. There are no universal protocols for providers to lean on when a patient presents with signs and symptoms relating to IC; because the symptoms are often similar to what is seen in a “typical” pregnancy, patients are often brushed off, ignored, and sent home.

We want to see protocols in place to screen patients that present with these signs and symptoms to ensure cervical stability. Not only would this prevent losses and premature births, but it would also teach providers to listen to their patients and acknowledge that families can trust their instincts and embodied experiences. 

As others channel their personal experience and passion into these changes, we channel our personal experience and passion into raising awareness for and working towards meaningful change for the many families that will endure a preventable loss or premature birth. Our voices and stories are powerful, but we need allies such as yourselves to enact change at the highest level. Words cannot express what your support would mean to our community.