Dilation and Effacement Discussion

mali3 · January 2015

Let me first start out by saying that I am looking for personal experiences here (not my OBs medical knowledge)

This is baby #3 for me (pregnancy #4), and I have had 2 c-sections and a RCS scheduled 2 weeks from now. I had a dr appointment yesterday and she asked me if I wanted her to check my cervix and I said yes (even though it doesnt matter since I am having a csection). She said I am 2 cm dialated and 75% effaced. This was shocking to me because never have I ever started the process of preparing for labor on my own. I have had contractions but never dialated past 1, except for with my first when they used a foley bulb to get me to a 3.

I understand the dialation part and I do understand the thinning of the cervix, but my question is as your cervix thins out more do you dialate faster? What has been your experience as far as dialation and thinning out has gone? I only ask because I still continue to have prodromal labor, I worry about laboring when I am supposed to have a csection. I am curious how fast YOU have gone when your numbers have been similar to mine. (I do realize everyone is different in labor progress and people can be at 2cm for weeks, so I am just looking for general feedback!)

srcr2011 · January 2015

I was at 7 cm and 80% effaced with DS. I'm not sure how they go together though. I just know it happens. I got the epidural at that point and labor slowed down a lot for me. My Dr never checked me during pregnancy though. My cervix was checked for the first time in my pregnancy when I went to the hospital with have DS. I was told I was a 2, walked around for 45 min and went to a 4. They never told me where I was as far as effacement. Same with pregnancy. I haven't been checked and I doubt he will do it.

misshart00 · January 2015

I'm currently almost a 4 with 60% effacement. Like PP, I'm not sure if there is some correlation.

cls78 · January 2015

36 weeks and my OB said on Tuesday that my cervix is pretty much closed. Next appt is next Tuesday!

kbelly777 · January 2015

I've been at a 3 for two weeks but she hasn't told me how effaced I've been. I'm not really sure how those two relate to one another.

usmcwife89 · January 2015

34 weeks and been 2 cm and almost 80% effacement for a little while now. Not sure if there's a correlation since I'm 2 and 80%.

yesiknowwhatcausesthat · January 2015

I generally dilate and efface but I don't know of any correlation. I have been as much as 5 cm and not in labor. It's normal for me to be 4 cm for weeks. Nothing seems to happen quickly for me. It usually takes a few hours, even with augmentation (pitocin). Once I get to 8 cm, then I can tell you that I'll have a baby in my arms within an hour and a half.

munchkin8590 · January 2015

With my first I was 2cm/80%effaced for 2 weeks before he decided to come early at 37 weeks. My water broke and the rest of the dilation was a really slow process.

This time I've been 1cm/0% since my 34 week appointment and there's been no change yet.

It really just depends on the baby. From my experience, I don't think effacement and dilation have anything to do with each other, but it makes more sense that you would thin before you dilate.. just my opinion, though

mali3 · January 2015

Thank you ladies for your input

This whole dilation and effacement thing is new to me even after 2 babies! It is good to read about everyones experience, but its crazy how big of a spectrum it is!

misshart00 · January 2015

mali3 said:

Thank you ladies for your input This whole dilation and effacement thing is new to me even after 2 babies! It is good to read about everyones experience, but its crazy how big of a spectrum it is!

It really just goes to show that every woman and every pregnancy is different. Which is why we tell women around here to check with their doctors for questions concerning dilation, effacement, and labor.

FlowerPower16 · January 2015

I don't think there's really a correlation between the two. With DS I found out at my 36 week appointment that I was 4cm (I don't remember how effaced I was). I walked around at 4 for two weeks and found out at my next appointment that I was 5-6cm and was only feeling mild, non-regular contractions. I ended up going to the hospital that evening and was 7cm when I got there. He was born about 2 and a half hours later.

I was checked this time at my 34 week appointment and was 2cm and 80% effaced. The baby was at a -2 station, so she's still got to drop a little. We'll see on Tuesday if I've made any progress.

ETA: My midwife thought nothing of me being 2cm and 80% effaced. She gave me the news and sent me on my way. I could stay that way for weeks or go in to labor tonight. It's different for everyone.

flyster · January 2015

I've been checked twice and am at 0 dialation. This is my first so clearly no experience but dr said they were checking not so much as a predictor of when I'll go into labor but more to know where I'm starting from. He said even with no dialation at close to 38 weeks labor could start anytime.

tee18 · January 2015

I walked around only 1 cm dilated but nearly 100% effaced for weeks first time around. Once labor came, it was typical (24 hrs or so). I hope I'm dilated more at each appointment - less I have to do while in labor I figure!

Mego04 · January 2015

mali3 said:
Thank you ladies for your input This whole dilation and effacement thing is new to me even after 2 babies! It is good to read about everyones experience, but its crazy how big of a spectrum it is!

All in all dilating and effacing mean nothing if your not in labor. Generally you become more effaced as you dilate further.

Erichandme · January 2015

Ok, so my cervix has dilated to 3 and I've been stuck there for six days now. At the beginning of the six days I was 60% effaced and now I'm 80% according to my doctor. As I understand it the more effaced you are the faster you will dilate. For example, if you are 90% effaced before you dilate more than a 3 then the rest of the dilation process will go quickly. That is how it has been explained to me by my doctor and my cousin who has had three pregnancies one of which was twins. I hope that helps.

camilu87 · January 2015

At my appointment yesterday, doctor told me I am 80% effaced and have fingertip dilation. My mother in law is a labor and delivery nurse (has been for 20+ years). She explained to me that 100% effacement is needed to make real labor start and to significantly dilate past 3cm in labor. She also said that for first timers this is usually what holds up delivery longer (getting to 100% effacement). Not sure that helps at all just how it was explained to me.

Grapes13 · January 2015

KristinMTBell said:
@yesiknowwhatcausesthat - love tit for the fact that your response is based on more actual data than my upcoming response, which includes the labors of three women. You are a champion.

OP - My family (mom, older sisters) tend to go from 0 to baby pretty quickly. One sister was sent home from hospital with under 1cm dilation. Baby was born less than five hours later (she barely made it to the hospital). That was her first. My mom's first was almost born in the ambulance. With my other sister's first, she went from 2cm to 7cm in twenty five minutes, with baby arriving about an hour after she was 2cm. Needless to say, a number of births in my family have been attended by nurses only. The doctors tend to run in and catch the baby as its feet come out.

My sisters and mom were the same! I am 38 weeks and only a half cm dialated but I'm hoping that has no bearing and I go like my family. My body feels overdue!! Haha

poopylove · January 2015

If I've understood correctly, some women efface first, then dilate, while others efface and dilate simultaneously. Apparently the first is more common for FTMs, and the latter for STM+.

bhjones1980 · January 2015

I never dilated or effaced with DS until I was in active labor, I had cervix checks with DS starting at 37 weeks and was not dilated even a little until my 40 week (on my due date) appointment where i was "fingertip" dilated, just enough for her to strip my membranes.

I went into labor about 8 hours after that, and was slow to dilate (was around 1.5 when I first went to the hospital with contractions every 3 minutes) and progressed from there (water broke around 2 cm dilated)

I had my first cervix check yesterday and I am at 1.5 cm dilated. So that is different from DS....

don't know what it means yet, probably nothing, but it is definately different from my first pregnancy.

sweetdreamz6700 · January 2015

Looks like my office doesn't do cervical checks. :-/ Went in today and just your typical weight, BP, fundal height and Doppler at 38.5wks. Said next week will be my last appointment and they will schedule an induction/C-section for just after 40wks if I don't go into labor by then.

maltwin1 · January 2015

I never had a cervical check done with my first prior to arriving at L&D. They were supposed to start checking at 38 weeks, but my water broke at just past 37. When I got to L&D I was only about a cm or two and I was not having any contractions, so I was put on pitocin almost immediately. After that it took about another 10 hours to get to where I needed to be, but they never gave me specifics of effacement along the way.

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