Did Not Dilate First Pregnancy?
In Some Women, the Cervix May Start to Efface and Dilate Slowly over a Period of Weeks. but a First-Time Mother Often Will Not Dilate Until Active Labor...
In some women, the cervix may start to efface and dilate slowly over a period of weeks. But a first-time mother often will not dilate until active labor starts. Late in your pregnancy, your health professional may check the cervix with his or her fingers to see how much it has effaced and dilated.
What happens if you don't dilate?
Usually your cervix will open up naturally on its own once you're ready to go into labor. However if your cervix shows no signs of dilating and effacing (softening, opening, thinning) to allow your baby to leave the uterus and enter the birth canal, your practitioner will need to get the ripening rolling.
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What are the reasons for not dilating?
- the baby is large.
- the baby has a large head.
- the baby is in a difficult position (posterior, when the baby is facing your front rather than your back; or transverse, when they are lying across your abdomen)
- your contractions aren't strong enough and the cervix doesn't open.
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
