Dilation v. Effacement - which matters more?

ColoradoAlly

At my 38 week appointment I was 80% effaced and 1 cm dilated. My doctor seems to think that the effacement progress means I won't make it to my due date (Thanksgiving). Does effacement mean more than dilation? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I've been blissfully unaware of my lady parts' role in the reproductive cycle so I don't know much about this stuff!

brewcitybride

Do some research girl! J/K. Some people know a ton about what is going on with their body, and some just let it ride. I like to know everything!

In the final weeks of pregnancy, as the lower part of the uterus gets ready for the baby to come out, the cervix starts to get shorter and thinner. That is effacement. The thinning out of the cervix.

Dilation is the widening and opening of the cervix. I have read that if you are a first time mom, your cervix will usually efface before it dilates. If you are a second time mom, your cervix will usually dilate before effacement.

shelbyluvschachi

Not a dumb question at all.  I'm a second time mom, and with my first and with this pregnancy, my doctor has never mentioned effacement once.  All he tells me at my appointments is how dilated I am.  This makes me think effacement is not as big of a predictor of how soon you will deliver as dilation is, but not sure. 

authorofdreamz

I'm a FTM too so I don't know for sure but I think effacement may be more important since people are always saying how you can walk around for weeks at 3-4cm dilated or whatever but I've heard people say that they were 100% effaced prior to 40 weeks and their doctor said if they didn't want to have the baby before their due date they'd need to be on bedrest.