Cervical dilation means the cervix opens up to allow the baby to move from the uterus into the birth canal. Signs that your cervix is dilating include losing your mucus plug, a bloody show, and ...

Your cervix doesn’t open in a single, smooth motion. It softens, shortens, and dilates under the rhythm of contractions. At 9 cm, most of that work is done, but a thin lip of tissue still remains, ...

Dilation and effacement are terms that doctors and other birth professionals use to describe the changes in the cervix that are required for vaginal birth. Even if you've heard these terms, you may ...