What Is Dilation in Pregnancy? (2023)

FAQs

What is dilation in pregnancy? ›

Dilatation means that the cervix opens. As labour nears, the cervix may start to thin or stretch (efface) and open (dilate). This prepares the cervix for the baby to pass through the birth canal (vagina). How fast the cervix thins and opens varies for each woman.

The cervix must be 100% effaced and 10 cm dilated before a vaginal delivery. The first stage of labor and birth occurs when you begin to feel persistent contractions.

A woman is considered to be in the active stage of labor once the cervix dilates to around 5 to 6 cm and contractions begin to get longer, stronger, and closer together.

Dilation is when your cervix opens (dilates) and the opening is measured in centimeters. During the first stage of labor, the cervix opens and thins out (effaces) to allow the baby to move into the birth canal.

The cervix must be 100% effaced and 10 cm dilated before a vaginal delivery.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) explains that the cervix can begin dilating a few days before labor truly begins.

When your baby is ready to begin the journey through the birth canal, your cervix dilates from fully closed to 10 centimeters. This process can take hours, days, or even weeks. But once you hit active labor – about 6 cm dilated – it's usually just a matter of hours before you reach full dilation.

Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.

It may be hard to talk or move easily. At this point, your cervix will be dilated 3 to 10 centimeters. (Dilating one centimeter an hour is textbook, but like in early labor, it's different for everyone.) If you're opting for an epidural, the time is…now!

How do you check how dilated you are? ›

Try to insert the tips of your fingers into your cervix. If one fingertip fits through your cervix, you're considered one centimeter dilated. If two fit, you're two centimeters dilated. If there's additional space in the opening, try to estimate how many fingertips would fit to determine dilation.

If you're more than 4 cm dilated: You'll be admitted to the hospital to continue your labor and delivery.

#3: Cramping and backache

If they occur low down, just above your pubic bone, this can be a sign your cervix is dilating. It might feel something like the cramping ache you have just before, or at the start of your period. You might also feel a dull ache in the lower part of your back, which comes at regular intervals.

Theoretically, the unequal walking pattern created by the curb causes the pelvis to open and allows the baby's head to descend. When the baby's head is deeper into the pelvis, there is more pressure on the cervix, causing dilation and effacement. This uneven walk should be done for about 10 minutes.

The time between dilating to 1 cm and giving birth varies from woman to woman. One woman may go from having a closed cervix to giving birth in a matter of hours, while another is 1–2 cm dilated for days or weeks. Some women do not experience any dilation until they go into active labor.

Three stages

The dilation (opening) stage is the longest, while the expulsion (pushing out) stage lasts 30-60 minutes, and the placental stage takes from a few minutes to up to 60 minutes. Various factors influence how long it takes to give birth: Whether you've given birth before or not.

Your cervix needs to open about 10cm for your baby to pass through it. This is what's called being fully dilated. In a 1st labour, the time from the start of established labour to being fully dilated is usually 8 to 12 hours. It's often quicker (around 5 hours), in a 2nd or 3rd pregnancy.

Rupture Of Membranes: Your Water Breaks

The so-called "rupturing of the membranes" can happen at the very start of labor or during the first stage of labor. Usually the doctor, midwife, or nurse will break your water before you become completely dilated, if it hasn't broken by then.

A fully dilated cervix is 10 centimeters open. This means that when your cervix is measured with two fingers, they can be stretched 10 centimeters across. When you're fully dilated, it's time to push and have a baby.

the baby has a large head. the baby is in a difficult position. contractions aren't strong enough and your cervix doesn't open (dilate) pelvis is too small to fit your baby through.

Does sitting on toilet help dilation? ›

When we sit on the toilet, we naturally let our pelvic floor relax. When we allow these muscles to soften, all of the hard work our uterus is doing pays off by allowing our cervix to thin, dilate, and get us closer to meeting our baby.

Some herbal remedies such as red raspberry leaf tea, black and blue cohosh, and evening primrose oil have been known to help ripen a cervix and prepare the body for labor. But before trying an herbal remedy, talk to your doctor or midwife to ensure it is safe for you.

This cervical ripening can begin days or even weeks before delivery. You might notice this process beginning with an increase in vaginal discharge or even losing your mucus plug. If you're delivering vaginally, once your cervix opens to the magic number—10 centimeters—you're ready to push and deliver.

massage around the neck of your womb if it is soft but closed — this 'stretch' can stimulate your body to release prostaglandins, which encourage the cervix to open.

As cervical dilation increased, there were significant increases in self-reported pain and observed pain on all the cited measures. Pain was characterized as 'discomforting' during early dilation and as 'distressing, horrible, excruciating' as dilation progressed.

Once your baby drops, you might notice a lot of increased pressure in your pelvis. This may be a time when you develop a significant pregnancy “waddle” as you adjust. This is probably the same feeling as walking around with what feels like a bowling ball between your legs.

Most people don't lose their mucus plug until after 37 weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, losing the mucus plug happens days or weeks before your baby's due date. Some people don't lose it until they're in labor.

Phase 2 begins once the cervix is 3 or 4 cm dilated. It is called active labor. The contractions are stronger than phase 1 and occur more often. It is important to time your contractions.

What happens when you start to dilate? ›

As your baby's birthday gets close, your cervix begins to dilate, or open up. Dilation is checked during a pelvic exam. Typically, if you're four centimeters dilated, you're in the active stage of labor. If you're fully dilated, you're ready to start pushing.

A few days before labor, you may notice looser, more relaxed joints in your pelvis and lower back. You might also experience an unexpected side effect of relaxin — diarrhea. This can happen as the muscles around your rectum relax.

Phase 2 begins once the cervix is 3 or 4 cm dilated. It is called active labor. The contractions are stronger than phase 1 and occur more often. It is important to time your contractions.

Dilation is checked during a pelvic exam and measured in centimeters (cm), from 0 cm (no dilation) to 10 cm (fully dilated). Typically, if you're 4 cm dilated, you're in the active stage of labor; if you're fully dilated, you're ready to start pushing.

Check for dilation.

Try to insert the tips of your fingers into your cervix. If one fingertip fits through your cervix, you're considered one centimeter dilated. If two fit, you're two centimeters dilated. If there's additional space in the opening, try to estimate how many fingertips would fit to determine dilation.

Can you feel your cervix dilating? As your cervix starts to thin and soften, you may or may not notice twinges and sensations in that area of your pelvis. This can be as much you trying to convince yourself something is happening though!

If you're less than 4 cm dilated: You might be sent home because your labor isn't active enough for hospital admission.

Based on the timing of your contractions and other signs, your doctor or midwife will tell you to head to the hospital for active labor. This phase typically lasts from three to five hours and continues from the time your cervix is 3 cm until it is dilated to 7 cm. True labor produces signs you don't want to ignore.

Generally, doctors are looking to admit individuals who have dilated to 3-4cm with consistent contractions that are five minutes apart and about a minute long. However, there are other reasons why someone who does not meet those parameters to be admitted.

What causes you to dilate early? ›

As pregnancy progresses and you prepare to give birth, the cervix gradually softens, decreases in length (effaces) and opens (dilates). If you have an incompetent cervix, your cervix might begin to open too soon — causing you to give birth too early.

36-40 weeks:

We will start doing cervical exams to see if the cervix is starting to dilate. If you are scheduling an induction, we will also schedule that around this time. When your physician checks you, several things are being assessed: Cervical dilation—how open is the cervix?