Dilation, the opening of the cervix (measured in centimeters), and effacement, the thinning of the cervix (measured in percentage), occur in a pregnant woman as labor and delivery get closer.
Some women begin dilating before they start active labor; that’s why you sometimes hear about women who are 3 centimeters dilated but not yet in labor.
The bulk of dilation happens during active labor, though, and being slightly dilated before labor is not at all a reliable indicator of how quickly labor will progress. Every woman dilates at a different rate.
About video: Find out how massage therapy and acupuncture can help women dilate with help from a labor and delivery nurse in this free video on pregnancy and childbirth.
- 9559 views
