this is my 3rd pregnancy and I have never really wondered until yesterday and now I have to know.

What is a thick cervix? how thin does it have to get before you start getting anywhere in the Labor department? My doctor said my cervix was still finger-tip thick and now I am thinking, how thick was it originally?...
Also how quickly can that change, I mean could it thin out in a week or 2 (by the time my due date rolls around).

I feel like a first time mom every time I am pregnant, sorry to ask, but thanks for any info..

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 11:43 am:

I got these 2 comments from different web sites. I love doing Google searches. You can find anything.

My cervix is still closed or 'unfavourable'?

For the main part of pregnancy your cervix is thick, long and closed, like a cork, helping keep the baby inside. As you approach term the cervix progressively softens, shortens (effaces) and starts to dilate. This is what all those prelabour contractions are about. Also your cervix releases some hormones locally, called prostaglandins. These are responsible for the changes described above.

If you go to be induced and your cervix is still thick and/or closed, you will most likely have a prostaglandin (Prostin) gel or pessary inserted. This brings about these changes, making it possible to rupture the membranes. The gel typically takes about 6 hours to work. Some hospitals put the gels in at night, then re-assess you in the morning. Some start in the morning and try & get you started at tea time.


Using the prostaglandin gel makes your labour much more natural if the cervix is thick. It certainly reduces the number of caesarean sections, which used to be associated with inductions of labour in women with an unfavourable cervix. Sometimes, it is necessary to use more than one gel treatment before ARM is possible. Many women start contracting and go into labour a few hours after having the gel.

5. Effacement: Thinning of the cervix: Usually in the last month the cervix begins to stretch and thin. This process means the lower segment of the uterus is getting ready for delivery. A thin cervix will also allow the cervix to dilate more easily. Your doctor will check for effacement in the final 2 months of pregnancy. Effacement is measured in percentages. You may hear your care provider say,“You are 25% effaced, 50% effaced, 75%...” The Braxton Hicks contractions or “practice contractions” you have been experiencing may play a part in the effacement process. You will not be able to determine your effacement process, but by doing an internal exam each visit, your care provider will keep you informed of your progress.

By Kaye on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 03:08 pm:

The visual I got when pregnant was the idea of a balloon in a tube sock. The cervix is lthe log part, closed up and thick, but as the baby nears birth it shortens and stretches wider, visually see the balloon being pushed out. So it isn't so much as it is thinning as it is shortening.

This process can take a month, or it can take days or it can take hours.