kateandlisaWondering what it means for your cervix to dilate or efface? Or maybe about the signs your cervix is dilating? If so, you are not alone.
Doctors and other birth professionals use the terms dilation and effacement to 
describe specific changes in the cervix that are required for vaginal birth. Even if you have heard of these terms, you may not fully understand what the process entails or know the signs that you are dilating.
The cervix is the portal to the uterus. During pregnancy it is filled with a plug of mucus to protect the fetus from the outside world. In preparation for delivery, the cervix thins out (effaces) and opens up (dilates) to allow the baby to pass through the birth canal.
Read on to learn about cervical dilation and effacement, signs you are dilating and how to check when it’s happening to you.
What Is Cervical Effacement?
Cervical effacement happens when your cervix thins and stretches to prepare for vaginal delivery This process typically begins before signs of dilation occur. Effacement is caused by the baby’s head dropping into the pelvis and pressing against the tissue as well as hormonal shifts that ready the body for childbirth.
Cervical effacement is tracked through percentages. A cervix that is 100% effaced has gone from the shape of a thick-walled cone to that of a flat, thin cup beneath the baby’s head. When you are fully effaced (100%) and fully dilated you are ready to push!
When you are 50% effaced, that means you are halfway there. You will still need substantial cervical changes to be considered in labor. It won’t be until you become more effaced and more dilated that it means labor could be starting.
What is Cervical Dilation?
Dilation is characterized by an opening of the cervix which allows the baby to move from the uterus to the birth canal. There’s no set time frame for dilation; it can start weeks, days or hours before labor begins. Contractions gradually open your cervix to 10 centimeters. Then your baby’s head descends far enough down you are told it’s ok to push and deliver your baby.
Signs of Cervical Dilation
Can you feel your cervix dilating? Not usually. Even though you may not feel the cervix itself opening, there are other signs that your cervix is effacing and dilating.
Here are a few signs of dilation to look for.
You lose your mucus plug. During pregnancy a blob of mucus acts as a barrier to the cervical opening and protects your baby from outside dangers like infections. As effacement and dilation progress, you may notice your mucus plug pass through the vagina. The mucus plug usually looks like a thick, gelatinous, yellowish-white substance and it can be tinged with blood.
You have bloody show.
As delivery nears, the blood vessels in the cervix will rupture, tinting your vaginal mucus with blood. This is called bloody show. You might notice this blood-tinged discharge when you use the bathroom, wipe or even as a discharge in your underwear.
You should always check with your doctor if you have bleeding during pregnancy but a small amount of bloody show can signal changes in the cervix that mean labor may start sooner than later.
You are experiencing pelvic discomfort
Pain associated with dilation is extremely rare. However, pregnant people may feel a small pressure or discomfort from cervical dilation and effacement. While your cervix is dilating you may also feel backache or abdominal pain similar to menstrual cramps. You also might feel sudden shooting pains in the vaginal area called lightning crotch. Lightning crotch is caused by pressure on nerves in the pelvic area.
How Do You Know if Your Cervix is Dilating
It’s hard to check cervical dilation on your own. Your health care provider may begin checking your cervix for effacement and dilation at your prenatal check-ups late in the third trimester. A medical staff at the hospital will most likely check you before admitting you. You do not have to have an exam if you would prefer not to.
Even if your cervix has started to thin and open, when you will actually go into active labor is not known. If your cervix isn’t dilating as expected, you can often just give it more time and it will happen naturally. Your provider may use various techniques to help move things along – cervical ripening – using various ways of mechanically or with medicines to stimulate the cervix.
Generally once labor has begun, you will dilate about 1 centimeter per hour for your first baby and 1.5 centimeters per hour for a second baby. The first phase of labor generally can take some time and once you have started dilating beyond the first few centimeters it means you are on your way to welcoming your baby.
So –
Cervical dilation is when your cervix opens to allow the baby to travel through the vaginal canal and be born. Signs that you are dilating include losing your mucus plug, having blood show, abdominal discomfort and backache. Once your cervix is fully effaced and dilated, you’re ready to push!
For more info and guidance for pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum – get in touch!
