Pregnancy started off easier than single digit multiplication. No morning sickness. I felt energetic enough to go to the gym. My skin was glowing. Everything was perfect, until my 20 week ultrasound.

I was super excited about this ultrasound because this is supposed to be the first really detailed look at all of the baby’s body parts. I jumped in my boyfriend’s car with glee as we drove from Bronzeville to St. Joseph hospital in order to get this long awaited ultrasound.

We arrived at the hospital to learn that my boyfriend could not come in the room where the ultrasound took place. So I proceeded down the hall alone to get a look at our baby.

A very nice man, Dr. Nawar Hatoum, carefully performed the ultrasound as I tried to make lighthearted conversation. He, however, was quiet and focused on examining the baby. He tells me that the baby looks good but he zooms in on the image of my cervix and says “you see this? This isn’t supposed to be open.” He calls my OB at the time and tells her to immediately come to his office.

The conversation between my former OB and Dr. Hatoum explained to me that I was 1 cm dilated at 20 weeks! A pregnant woman should not begin dilating until the end of the 3rd trimester. I could not believe what I was hearing! Everything had been going so well! What is this dilated cervix business?!

I go out into the lobby almost shaking and hoping to find solace in my boyfriend. I explain to him what is going on and then we are directed to a hospital room. My OB is freaking out which was not very comforting. Dr. Hatoum comes in the room and tells me that I need to get a cerclage (pronounced sir-claj) immediately!

What is a cerclage you ask? A cerclage is a procedure where the cervix is closed with the use of stitches.

My OB tells me that she is too afraid to do a cerclage because there is a risk of rupturing my bag (the sac that the baby is in). She explained that she called around to different medical professionals and everyone said “don’t do a cerclage, just give your patient progesterone suppositories.” Dr. Hatoum, however, drilled in my head “find someone who does this type of surgery all the time.”

My OB wanted to keep me overnight to give me antibiotics and monitor me. She instilled a lot of fear in me, saying “you know how serious this is right?” and “your baby could come any day.” My boyfriend expressed that he wanted me home and for us to find someone to do a cerclage. We left the hospital against my OB’s suggestion. We felt defeated. We had spoken with a midwife at Gentle Birth Care just a few days prior because we were considering a home birth. Even though a home birth was kind of out of the question now, something told me to call the midwives for some advice.

A midwife name Lauren picks up the phone, and after she learned my diagnosis, she said “I want you to meet with Dr. Brotman at West Suburban Hospital for a second opinion.” Lauren pretty much set it up for me to meet with Dr. Brotman two days later.

Monday morning arrives. I frantically wake up with a mission to go to Dr. Brotman asap. I arrive at her office where we discuss my diagnosis. She immediately gets my ultrasound from 2 days ago. She then says “Go register for same day surgery downstairs. We’re about to do a cerclage.”

I took a covid test and prepped for surgery. Dr. Brotman allowed me to talk to her during the entire surgery. She saw my bag exposed! She sewed up my cervix to keep baby in for as long as possible. Once in the recovery room she listened to the heartbeat and said “there’s your little man.”

I walked out that evening with zero pain and with the cerclage that my former OB said she could not find anyone to do and that she was scared to do.

Dr. Brotman saved my pregnancy! Ladies and Gentlemen, research is imperative when getting proper medical care. If I had went along with my former OB’s suggestions, who knows what would have happen! I was lucky to find Dr. Brotman quite easily. Don’t give up if you feel uneasy about a diagnosis. Go out and find your Superman…or in my case, Superwoman!

-Leah C. Powell