Benefits of knowing dilation/effacement?

Shelbygirl2005 · October 2013

I had my 36 week check up yesterday, and at that time my group b strep test and my first cervix check. My husband, doctor, and I had come to the agreement that unless it was imperative for my husband and I to know the state of my cervix (IE: we needed to go upstairs to have a baby; I needed to drastically alter my physical activity levels; etc.) that my husband and I would not be informed until week 39. I didn't want the added stress/nervousness of knowing if I was dilating/effacing early, or not at all, etc. I have a tendency to work myself up and I have had several friends who have recently had babies and they all found out early and then spent the end of their pregnancy focused on how much they were or were not dilated and didn't enjoy the last weeks before baby arrived. However, after yesterday, my friends and family have all been clamoring to know "what the doctor saw" during my visit. It made me wonder - what are the benefits of knowing dilation and effacement early? Any thoughts?

lollipoppoop · October 2013

I think you are doing the right thing by not finding out if that information will cause you worry. My sister was 4 cm dialted and almost fully effaced for over a month so like the PP said it really doesnt mean a whole lot.

SoMoNY · October 2013

It means nothing until you are actually in labor

bmqcmg · October 2013

It doesn't really mean anything so it doesn't really matter if you find out or not. You could go from not dilated to dilated within a matter of a couple of hours. However, some women just like to know. I wanted to know therefore I had my OB do a check. My reasoning for wanting to know is because DD never came on her own and I never dilated, thinned, or anything with her and was induced at 41 1/2 weeks. When my OB told me that I was 1 cm dilated on Tuesday it gave me a little hope that I might be able to go into labor on my own this time since I am really hoping I don't have to do an induction again.

MsCrispy · October 2013

I like to torture myself with information that is completely irrelevant, so I get checked each time.

My OB doesn't push either way, he just asks if I want it done and for some reason I always say yes.

DreamDisney · October 2013

MsCrispy said:
I like to torture myself with information that is completely irrelevant, so I get checked each time.
My OB doesn't push either way, he just asks if I want it done and for some reason I always say yes.

This is me.

elio23 · October 2013

I'm with you. But my doctor has never offered to check. Not even when she did my Group B test. I guess if everything is going normally she doesn't see a need to check. I do know that I was 50% effaced and 2.5 cm dilated about 2 weeks ago. But I only know that because I thought my water broke so I went to get checked out at the hospital. I know it doesn't really mean anything.

Angel5218 · October 2013

For me the checks mean nothing so I don't have them done. They are not a good indicator of when you will go into labor. You could have little to no changes to your cervix one day and go into labor the next day or be at 2-3cm and 70% effaced and wait another week or two.

babymama619 · October 2013

I asked my OB this question. She said the bennefit is knowing how fast you might need to go to the hospital once labor gets going, but this is especially for STMs+. Also it lets her know if I'm favorable for induction should that be needed.

In general though she acknowledged its not really super informative since people can walk around effaced or dialated for weeks.

PrimRoseMama · October 2013

SoMoNY said:
It means nothing until you are actually in labor

Absolutely.

Jmo30 · October 2013

DreamDisney said:

I like to torture myself with information that is completely irrelevant, so I get checked each time.
My OB doesn't push either way, he just asks if I want it done and for some reason I always say yes.
This is me.

This is me as well!

chiboo9 · October 2013

My OB and the practice don't start checking until 39 weeks, and I didn't mind that at all.

That said, my water broke at 38 weeks. The first time I was checked, I was already 4cm dilated. Can't remember the effacement.