Cervix- Birth forum

The cervix is located at the top of the vagina and is the lower part of the uterus. It is approximately one inch in length and is cylindrical in shape. During a menstrual cycle, the cervix will open slightly so that the blood can come out. After a woman ovulates, the cervix will descend into the vagina and it will feel firm. The cervix is typically pink or reddish in color.

DURING PREGNANCY

Once conception has occurred, the cervix rises upwards and will become softer than usual. The cervix will remain tightly closed to prevent infection. There will be a mucus plug covering the bottom of the cervix that acts as a barrier to prevent infection as well. The color of the cervix will change during pregnancy. It will go from a pink or reddish color to bluish or purple-looking.

LABOR

During labor, the cervix will change to get ready for childbirth. During pregnancy the cervix is thick and 0% effaced. The cervix will begin to efface, or thin out and shorten. Your doctor will speak of effacement in terms of percentages. When you are 100% effaced, your cervix is completely thin and ready for childbirth. The cervix will also dilate, or open. Your doctor will speak of dilation in terms of centimeters. Once you are 10 cm dilated, your cervix is completed dilated and ready for childbirth.

AFTER BIRTH

After childbirth the cervix does not look like it did before pregnancy. The cervix will remain dilated to 2 or 3 cm for approximately 3 days after delivery. If you were to have an internal examination at one week postpartum, the cervix would look very similar to the cervix before pregnancy. During the first four to six weeks after delivery, the cervix will begin to heal but it will not be completely healed until about 12 weeks postpartum. It is important to give your cervix and uterus time to properly heal before conceiving another child.

Comments: Cervix

Comments 1 to 24 of about 71.
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kheiderscheidt - 3 days ago.
Hello ladies with a short cervix. I'm at 20 weeks 2 days. I am a high risk pregnancy to start out with. I have a heart shaped uterus. In the last two weeks I have gone from a 5cm cervix to a 3 1/2cm. My doctor is doing another u/s today to check if it has gotten any shorter. If so, he is planning on putting a stitch in my cervix (a surclauge - ?spelling). This cannot be done any later than 22 weeks. Thanks for mentioning the progesterone. I will have to ask him about that too. I just hope our little guy doesn't decide to come out too early. We all just have to have faith. Good Luck Ladies!

bigmuma - 4 days ago.
Just came to read a bit about my cervix and omg i didnt realise 10 cms dialation looks huge lol. No wonder it hurts !!!

SnowAngel1967 - 6 days ago.
28 weeks preg with second child, a boy due July 26th. 1st preg was great, no probs with delivery at all. Today, doc said my cervix was short and will send me for an ultrasound this coming week. I've been having mad braxton's. Does a short cervix cause these horrible pains? They were so bad I could barely walk or do anything else. My first child is only 17 months old, and nothing was mentioned about a short cervix when I was pregnant with her. Any ideas?? Thanks!!

ilurockstarr - 6 days ago.
at my 23 week appointment my doctor said my cervix seems to be shortening, I'm scheduled for a level to ultrasound to see if everything is okay, what are everyones thoughts on this. Have you experienced any scares similar?

milf2b - 7 days ago.
Hey ladies, well I went to the Doc yesterday and I am dialated 1 cm and 50% effaced, I guess that means he could come anytime now :) My luck he will still come on his due date, lol, I have a question though, since my exam yesterday, when I wipe it is tinged brown, like old blood. I called the doc and they said this is normal after an exam but when I woke up this morning it is still like that. Should I be concerned?? Please respond to my page, Thanks ladies

blessed-in-atl - 8 days ago.
I was told at my 20 wk appt I had a short cervix at 2.5 cm I have been on progesterone since then and now am at 29 weeks with a cervical measurement of 1.8 cm. Since my last appt I am now also part of the bed rest club. Hang in there ladies!

briii0522 - 9 days ago.
hi everyone.. well im 20 weeks and i just found out that i am having a little girl..so im happy about that. but the dr told me that my cervix is short he said around 2.2-2.5 and now im worried. he told me that i could start taking pagestrone for my 24w-36w. im woundering if this would hurt the pregnancy and if anyone went through this or is going through it.

shylosmommy - 11 days ago.
i am almost 27 weeks pregant and was wondering if anyone knew anything about short cervix.i was told 3 days ago that i had it and am scared casue the only thing that i really know about it is that it causes preterm labor

zady08 - 14 days ago.
Can you feel if ur cervix is dilated with ur finger? If so what does it feel like. Sorry its a strage question.

sarena - 14 days ago.
if ur cirvix is low is it normal to have a bit of bleeding, like dark red/ brown ??

NumberFive - 15 days ago.
what is funneling, i got my bf to check after following instruction on hiow to check ur own cervix and well, he said he found it, and he could put one finger in it, hionestly i am in pain but i think hes wrong i mean i am only 31 wks, any advice, i mean hes far from a dr, and when he pushed my baby moved up iot was so weird, but that doesnt mean anything, just worried confused and stubburn to go in to hospitl,

NumberFive - 15 days ago.
i fprgot to mention i am 31 wks

NumberFive - 15 days ago.
any advice i think i may be thinning out, i am in killer paina nd cant even walk i wish id idnt leave it being stuborn cause now here in canada, its 11 40 pm and i jhave no sitter and cant even walk the abby is pushing out my pubic bone and so much foward down but pressure motly right aboive and on inside of pubic bone, did any if u feel this way and find out u are effacing>?please commenton page if ia m over reacting and just in pain due to no muscles in uterus being this my # 5 then i dont wanna make a huge deal find a sitter and go in for ntohing, what u ladeies think u all seem smart! help

HppyMomToBeRS - 15 days ago.
Will i ws in the hospital for preterm labor. I am 31 weeks pregnant and when they did my cervix it measured 1.38 cm in length. One doctor told it was fine and the other was so concerned that she put me on the steroids shot for Bailee lungs. Has anyone else have a cervix this short for at 31 weeks. Just curious because the reading I have done said below 2.5 is 50% chance of delevering before 35 weeks. Let me know what you all have expreienced.

basswife - 15 days ago.
I'm glad I could help!

M.M.Masi - 15 days ago.
my cervix is 5cm, anyone else this long?

kla2200 - 15 days ago.
Okay, your right...i was getting my CM and MM confused! But yes, I measured 2CM and my doctor still showed no concern. I will definitely call the peri office again as my doctor seems to be the 'less is more' type of person when it comes to informing me. I am just worried that I SHOULD be on bedrest but he has said nothing of the sort... i just dont want to have a problem later on (like you said you had with your oldest) and know there was something I could have done about it.

basswife - 15 days ago.
I was told that normal was above 30mm, which would also be 3cm. Maybe you are measuring 2cm, which is 20mm. I'm 25 weeks right now, so we're pretty close. Maybe you should call the peri's office and ask them to explain it to you further, inform them of what your doctor has done, and see what they reccommend. Take it easy in the meantime.

kla2200 - 15 days ago.
Well that is where I am confused. She definitely told me that 'normal' thickness was 3mm and I was at 2...what does that mean? After my doctor reviewed the results this afternoon he came back and said he saw nothing to worry about. But from what I am reading it seems that I should be worried...

basswife - 15 days ago.
I have my cervix measured weekly due to an incompetent cervix. I have measured around 20mm for the last two weeks with some funneling and was put on bedrest. I would definitely think they would have you on bedrest if you are only measuring 2mm. I had my oldest daughter at 26w4d after having an emergency cerclage at 18w. I had a cerclage put in with this baby girl at nearly 13w.

kla2200 - 15 days ago.
I just got back from my u/s. I am 26 weeks and they said that my cervic is 2mm and funneling. The got my OB on the phone and he said to give me a non-stress-test. I had about 5 contractions during the 40 minute NST but the doc there said they were irregular and they let me leave and said they will send the results to my OB within the next few hours. They did not give me any instructions so I am wondering if anyone else has had this happen and what the next steps usually are. Should I limit anything I am doing? Is the doc most likely going to put me on rest or a medication or something?

zachiel - 16 days ago.
1 week with cervix dilate half a cm, and then for 2 weeks with my cervix dilate to 1cm nothing was happening, so they had to get my cervix dilate to 5cm to start the IV induction, that didnt do much i stayed 25 hrs with 5cm and i was getting a fever , doctor said it was sign of infection so they went ahead and did a c-section right away, our babys heart beat was going crazy, im glad for the c section but i dont understand why my cervix didnt give more, our baby would of never come out if it wasnt for the c-section

nickijane2001 - 24 days ago.
hi all i am nearly 27 weeks pregnant, i have had problems with my cervix from 22 weeks it was 16 mm no funneling. then when i was 23 weeks it dropped to 4mm with funneling, and has been there since. I have had the steriod injections for baby lungs, but just wanted to know if anyone has experienced this, i woke up this morning with a pain in my belly , then from 12 oclock on wards my stomach has been going completed solid like a contraction but not much pain i have to breath a bit more thats all, could this be a sign of premature labour starting, they did say to me i could last 2 weeks but i could go til im 30 odd weeks, i dont want to go to the hospital and look silly. Thanks nicki please write on my space with any advice

MsBeenee - 25 days ago.
I am not so sure if checking your cervix while pregnant is a very good idea. You could rupture the bag of water (amniotic sac) if you don't know what you are doing which could put you into early labor. I would say to just let your doctor do it. There is a reason for them waiting until you are so far into your pregnancy before checking you or they would check us all the time wouldn't they? I say be safe and let your doctor do the checking.

aanaka - 26 days ago.
I'm 12 weeks PG and my cervix is so low that its practically poking out. I can see it when i'm on the toilet with a mirror. Its becoming such a bother when I have to go to the bathroom. I feel pressure of it sitting there when I stand or sit.

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