Cervix Dilation: What to Expect in Each Stage of Labor

When a woman has a baby, the cervix, which is the lower section of the uterus, opens through a process called cervical dilatation. The process of the cervix opening (dilating) is one way that medical personnel can monitor a woman's labor progress.

The cervix opens during labor to allow the baby's head to pass through the vagina, which is usually around 10 centimeters (cm) dilated for most term newborns.

If your cervix is dilated and you're having regular, uncomfortable contractions, you're in active labor and on your way to giving birth.

The first stage of labor

Labor's latent period

The first stage of labor is known as the latent period. It's better described as the "waiting game" stage of labor. It can take a long time for first-time mothers to go through the latent phase of labor.

Contractions aren't forceful or consistent at this point. As it prepares for the main event, the cervix is effectively "warming up," softening, and shortening.

Consider visualizing your uterus as a balloon. Think of the cervix as the neck and aperture of the balloon. The neck of the balloon pushes up with the pressure of the air behind it, similar like the cervix, as you fill it up.

The cervix is essentially the uterus's bottom opening pulling up and widening to accommodate the baby.

Active labor stage

When the cervix dilates to roughly 5 to 6 cm and contractions become longer, stronger, and closer together, a woman is in the active stage of labor.

The rate of regular cervical dilatation each hour is more indicative of the active stage of labor. During this stage, your cervix should open at a more regular rate, according to your doctor.

How long does labor stage one last?

In women, there is no scientific norm for how long the latent and active periods last. A woman's dilating rate during the active stage of labor might range from 0.5 cm per hour to 0.7 cm per hour.

Whether or whether this is your first child will influence how quickly your cervix dilates. Mothers who have previously delivered a baby proceed through labor more rapidly.

Some ladies will simply advance faster than others. Some women "stall" at a specific point and then rapidly dilate.

In general, after labor enters the active stage, you should expect a consistent cervical dilation every hour. Many women do not begin to dilate more regularly until they reach around 6 cm.

When a woman's cervix is fully dilated to 10 cm and entirely effaced, the first stage of labor is complete (thinned out).

Second stage of labor

When a woman's cervix is fully dilated to 10 cm, she enters the second stage of labor. Even if a woman is fully dilated, this does not guarantee that the baby will be born promptly.

A woman's cervical dilation may be complete, but the baby may still need time to progress fully down the birth canal before giving birth. It's time to push after the baby is in a good position. After the baby is delivered, the second stage concludes.

What is the duration of stage 2 labor?

The length of time it takes for the baby to emerge at this stage varies greatly. It can extend from a few minutes to several hours. Women can give birth in as little as a few vigorous pushes or for an hour or more.

Only contractions are used to push, and the mother is urged to relax in between. The optimal contraction frequency at this phase is 2 to 3 minutes apart, lasting 60 to 90 seconds.

Pushing takes longer for first-time mothers and women who have had epidurals in general. Epidurals can suppress a woman's desire to push and impair her capacity to do so.

The length of time a woman is permitted to push is determined by:

• Policy of the hospital

• Discretion of the doctor

• The health of the mom

• The health of the baby

The mother should be encouraged to shift positions, squat with support, and rest between contractions. If the baby isn't progressing or the mother is growing fatigued, forceps, vacuum, or cesarean delivery may be considered.

Every mom and every baby are unique. For pushing, there is no commonly agreed "cut-off time."

The baby's birth completes the second stage.

The third stage of labor

The third stage of labor is probably the most overlooked. Despite the fact that the "primary event" of birth has occurred with the birth of the baby, a woman's body still has work to accomplish. She's currently delivering the placenta.

With the placenta, a woman's body creates an altogether new and separate organ. The placenta has no function once the baby is born, thus her body must expel it.

The placenta is delivered by contractions, much like the infant. They might not be as intense as the contractions required to remove the baby. The doctor instructs the mother to push, and the placenta is usually delivered in one push.

What is the duration of stage 3 labor?

The third stage of labor lasts between 5 and 30 minutes. This process will be accelerated if the baby is placed on the breast for breastfeeding.

Postpartum

The uterus contracts and the body recovers after the baby is born and the placenta is delivered. The fourth stage of labor is commonly referred to as this. A woman's body will require time to restore to its pre-pregnancy state after the hard work of moving through the phases of labor is completed. The uterus takes around 6 weeks to recover to its nonpregnant size, and the cervix takes about 6 weeks to return to its prepregnancy form.