Real dilated cervix: Signs, stages, and what to expect
- Updated Jan 30, 2025
- Published
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Created with Hector Chapa, MD, FACOG, Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA
- Cervical dilation is the opening of your cervix in preparation for childbirth through the vagina. It is the most important symptom indicating that your labor is around the corner.
- The cervix dilates from 0 to 10 centimeters to reach the point when your baby can be delivered. The cervix must be 100% – or 10 centimeters – dilated for a vaginal delivery to occur.
- The common signs you’re dilating include contractions that feel like severe period cramps, increased discharge, backache, pelvic and abdominal discomfort, and passing a brownish discharge (the mucus plug).
Dilation in pregnancy is when your cervix, the narrow end of the uterus begins to open, making way for your baby to come out of the vagina. Cervical dilation happens in preparation for labor that may be approaching. It can take from a few hours to a couple of days for complete cervical dilation to occur.
Let’s discuss the signs and stages of a real dilated cervix in detail and how to know if you’re dilated.
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What is cervical dilation?
Cervical dilation is the gradual opening of the cervix to allow your baby to pass through the vagina (birth canal). Cervical dilation is typically divided into three stages: dilation, effacement, and labor progression.
Dilation is the opening of the cervix and effacement is the thinning and softening of the cervix to prepare for childbirth. Dilation and effacement often happen together to allow easy passage of the baby. Labor progression is when contractions gradually become stronger and more frequent.
When do you start dilating?
So, when do you start dilating? A woman commonly starts dilating during the last weeks of pregnancy, a few hours before labor, or during labor.
The timings of dilation can vary from person to person as every pregnancy is unique. Some women may also start dilating 2-3 weeks before labor, or in the third trimester.
And when do you start dilating in the third trimester? Generally in pregnancy, the cervix stays long, firm, and closed until the late third trimester. So, cervical dilation commonly starts at the end of the third trimester but it can also begin early and resume later.
If a dilation starts early, or a few weeks before labor, it commonly happens in steps – starting, pausing, and later resuming.
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How to know if you're dilated
The possible signs you’re dilating include:
- Backache
- Sharp and frequent cramps
- Feeling your baby drop
- Increased pressure
- Loss of mucus plug or bloody show (brownish discharge).
- Pelvic discomfort
So, how to tell if you’re dilated? The only accurate way to confirm that you’re dilating is through a cervical exam done by a healthcare provider.
What does dilation feel like?
Dilations can feel like sharp and strong period cramps, pressure in the pelvis and abdomen, and back pain. It is important to note that some women may not feel dilations until they are in active labor, which is normal. Dilations can start anytime from the third trimester to the last weeks of pregnancy, or during final labor.
Can you feel your cervix dilating?
So, can you feel your cervix dilating or opening? Most women don’t physically feel that their cervix is opening, but you may feel sensations related to dilation, like pressure or contractions in the abdomen and pelvis.
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Some common myths about self-checking for dilation include
Myth #1: Self-checking is an accurate way to identify dilation or labor
Fact: Self-checking is not a substitute or an accurate way to identify dilation. Only a cervical exam by your healthcare provider can confirm that dilation has started.
Myth #2: Self-checking for dilation is safe
Fact: Self-checking for cervical dilation at home is not safe or recommended. It can introduce bacteria into the vagina, leading to infections which may harm your baby or cause complications during childbirth.
Myth #3: Self-checking dilation can determine fetal position
Fact: Only an ultrasound or other medical imaging techniques can accurately determine the fetal position.
Dilation stages and the dilation chart
Here is a stage-wise dilation chart with its significance:
| Stages of dilation | Length | Time | Symptoms | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latent phase | 0-3 centimeters or sometimes 0-6 centimeters, varying from person to person | The least painful and longest stage of dilation. It takes around 14 to 20 hours | Mild, irregular contractions that start, stop, and resume | The latent phase of dilation marks that pregnancy is progressing and labor may be approaching within a few days |
| Active phase | 7-8 centimeters. During the active phase, the cervix can dilate 1 centimeters per hour | 4 to 8 hours or more | Strong and painful contractions | Shorter than the latent phase and indicates that labor is nearer |
| Transition phase | 8-10 centimeters | 15 minutes to 3 hours | More intense, painful, and frequent contractions | The last stage of labor shows that you are almost ready to deliver the baby |
How long does it take to dilate from 1 to 10?
Dilating from 1 to 10 centimeters can take from a few days to a couple of hours, depending on various factors:
- The strength, speed, and frequency of your contractions can affect how quickly you dilate.
- Previous pregnancies: Dilations can take longer for first-time moms.
- Your baby’s position can also affect how long you dilate.
Signs of being 1cm dilated include frequent and strong contractions, mucus plug loss, and bloody show.
👉Find out more: When should you go to the hospital for labor? Key signs to watch out for
When to contact your healthcare provider
You should contact your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
- Contractions or severe cramps that occur every 5 minutes, last for at least 1 minute, and happen consistently for one hour.
- Vaginal bleeding
- Change in your baby’s movement
- Severe pain or reduced fetal movement.
- Water breaking
- If you have other concerns or are unsure about your labor.
Questions from the Femia community
Can dilation stop and restart?
Yes, dilation can happen in steps. If dilation starts a few weeks before labor, it can stop and restart later. However, the real dilated cervix or the final dilation occurs when you are in labor.
What role does effacement play in dilation?
Effacement is the thinning and softening of the cervix that occurs with dilation (cervical opening) to help labor progress to the final stages.
Are there exercises to encourage dilation?
Yes, certain exercises help improve dilation, like walking, sitting on an exercise ball and moving your hips in circles, and squatting.
Can stress affect dilation?
Yes, severe stress and anxiety can cause muscle tension which can prolong labor and make it difficult for the cervix to dilate.
Do cervical checks hurt?
Yes, cervical checks can be uncomfortable and slightly painful for some people.
The bottom line
The dilation of the cervix happens in three stages – the latent, active, and transition phases. During the latent phase, you may experience mild, irregular contractions that can start a few days before labor and resume later.
The active phase is when the contractions get more frequent and stronger and last for around 4-8 hours (though sometimes more). The transition phase is the last stage of labor where you are close to delivering your baby. It is characterized by more intense and painful contractions that last for 15 minutes to 3 hours.
The common signs you’re dilating, or the symptoms of a real dilated cervix, include contractions that feel like severe period cramps, increased vaginal discharge, backache, abdominal and pelvic pressure or discomfort, loss of mucus plug, and feeling your baby drop.
However, it is important to note that every pregnancy is unique. Each dilation, its symptoms, and timings can vary and be more or less difficult. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice as only a cervical exam by your doctor can confirm that your dilations have started.
References
- “Cervical Effacement and Dilation.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/cervical-effacement-and-dilation/img-20006991.
- “Physiology, Cervical Dilation.” StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf, 16 May 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557582.
- Hutchison, Julia, et al. “Stages of Labor.” StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf, 30 Jan. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544290.
- “Effacement.” Cleveland Clinic, 1 May 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/23156-effacement.
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