N88.3: Incompetence of cervix uteri
Your cervix is shorter or wider than usual.
The uterus or womb sits in the pelvis and is pear-shaped. The narrower part extends downward into the vagina and is called the cervix. When a woman is pregnant, the child grows in her uterus.
There is a canal in the cervix that connects the vagina to the inside of the uterus. The orifice at the end of this canal is called the mouth of the womb (ostium uteri). The mouth of the womb is visible during an internal examination of the vagina.
The cervix can shorten or widen for various reasons. These reasons include, for example, surgery or pathogens.
The cervix is normally made of quite firm tissue. If the cervix shortens, the tissue may become softer. This may widen the canal in the cervix. This could mean that a future pregnancy may result in a premature birth, for example.
Additional indicator
On medical documents, the ICD code is often appended by letters that indicate the diagnostic certainty or the affected side of the body.
- G: Confirmed diagnosis
- V: Tentative diagnosis
- Z: Condition after
- A: Excluded diagnosis
- L: Left
- R: Right
- B: Both sides
Further information
Source
Provided by the non-profit organization “Was hab’ ich?” gemeinnützige GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).