Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRoleWhat Role Does Effacement Play in Labor?MeasuringComplicationsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Role
What Role Does Effacement Play in Labor?
Measuring
Complications
Frequently Asked Questions
Cervical effacement happens when yourcervixgets thinner, softer, and shorter to prepare for childbirth.
The cervix is the long, narrow opening to the uterus. During pregnancy, it’s long and thick. As pregnancy comes to an end, and the body prepares for labor and delivery, the cervix ripens.
This article describes what effacement is, what it feels like, and how to address any complications.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
What You Need to Know About Giving Birth
Cervix Softening Symptoms
You may not realize that you are experiencing effacement while it’s happening. Many people have no signs or symptoms.
Possible signs of effacement include:
The Cervix in Early Pregnancy
Effacement is a critical factor inlaborand delivery. When the cervix becomes soft and thin, it is a signal that the body is getting ready for childbirth.
The softening process of effacement usually starts a few weeks before labor.To measure your level of effacement, your healthcare provider will place a gloved finger through the vagina and into the cervix to determine how thick it feels.
Effacement is measured in percentages from 0 to 100. An effacement of 100% combined with cervical dilation of 10 centimeters usually indicates that the body is ready for birth. Regularlabor contractionsput pressure on the cervix, leading to effacement and dilation.
Effacement vs. DilationEffacement is related tocervical dilation, which is the process of the cervix widening in preparation for childbirth. During labor, the cervix dilates from 0 to 10 centimeters. It is not recommended for a pregnant person in labor to start pushing until their cervix is both 10 centimeters dilated and 100% effaced.
Effacement vs. Dilation
Effacement is related tocervical dilation, which is the process of the cervix widening in preparation for childbirth. During labor, the cervix dilates from 0 to 10 centimeters. It is not recommended for a pregnant person in labor to start pushing until their cervix is both 10 centimeters dilated and 100% effaced.
What Is Labor Dystocia?
Measuring Effacement
An effacement check will likely feel like a quickpelvic exam. Your healthcare provider will have you lie back and then place a gloved finger through the vagina and into the cervix. Your healthcare provider can check both effacement and dilation at the same time.
It’s important to note that there is no precise way to determine your level of effacement. Your healthcare provider estimates the percentage based on what they feel. For this reason, an effacement measure may vary from healthcare provider to healthcare provider.
Can I Measure My Own Effacement?
When effacement does not progress normally at the end of pregnancy, possible complications can arise.
Early Effacement
Also known as an insufficient cervix, early effacement occurs when the cervix starts to shorten and soften too early in pregnancy. Early effacement raises the risk ofmiscarriage,premature labor, and premature birth.Early effacement does not always have a known cause.
Possible risk factors of early effacement include:
Signs of early effacement may include vaginal spotting, bleeding, abdominal cramping, and pelvic pressure. Treatment will depend on how far along into pregnancy you are and if you are experiencing any other complications. Your healthcare provider may recommendcerclage, a surgery to stitch the cervix closed until the end of pregnancy.
Preparing for a High-Risk Pregnancy
Late or No Effacement
Late or no effacement happens when the cervix remains long and thick at the end of pregnancy. When this occurs, labor cannot progress. Pregnancies that go beyond 41 to 42 weeks have an increased risk of serious complications.
To stimulate effacement, your healthcare provider may recommend one of the following medical interventions:
How Long Does Effacement Take?The effacement process is unique to each pregnant person. It can be a slow process that happens over weeks or progress as quickly as a matter of hours. Effacement is usually faster in those who have given birth in the past.
How Long Does Effacement Take?
The effacement process is unique to each pregnant person. It can be a slow process that happens over weeks or progress as quickly as a matter of hours. Effacement is usually faster in those who have given birth in the past.
Summary
A Word From Verywell
Frequently Asked QuestionsThere is no research to suggest that it is possible to speed up effacement on your own. Natural therapies and home remedies have not been found to be effective. Your healthcare provider can recommend medical interventions, such as prostaglandins, laminaria, or a catheter to help effacement progress.During effacement, you may experience new symptoms or not notice any physical changes at all. Possible signs of effacement include lower abdominal cramping, pelvic pressure, Braxton Hicks contractions, increased vaginal discharge, and loss of the mucus plug.
There is no research to suggest that it is possible to speed up effacement on your own. Natural therapies and home remedies have not been found to be effective. Your healthcare provider can recommend medical interventions, such as prostaglandins, laminaria, or a catheter to help effacement progress.
During effacement, you may experience new symptoms or not notice any physical changes at all. Possible signs of effacement include lower abdominal cramping, pelvic pressure, Braxton Hicks contractions, increased vaginal discharge, and loss of the mucus plug.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rhoades JS, Stout MJ, Woolfolk C, Tuuli MG, Macones GA, Cahill AG.Normal cervical effacement in term labor.Am J Perinatol. 2019;36(1):34-38. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1645858Langen ES, Weiner SJ, Bloom SL, et al.Association of cervical effacement with the rate of cervical change in labor among nulliparous women.Obstet Gynecol. 2016;127(3):489-495. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001299American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Labor induction.MedlinePlus.Insufficient cervix.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rhoades JS, Stout MJ, Woolfolk C, Tuuli MG, Macones GA, Cahill AG.Normal cervical effacement in term labor.Am J Perinatol. 2019;36(1):34-38. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1645858Langen ES, Weiner SJ, Bloom SL, et al.Association of cervical effacement with the rate of cervical change in labor among nulliparous women.Obstet Gynecol. 2016;127(3):489-495. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001299American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Labor induction.MedlinePlus.Insufficient cervix.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rhoades JS, Stout MJ, Woolfolk C, Tuuli MG, Macones GA, Cahill AG.Normal cervical effacement in term labor.Am J Perinatol. 2019;36(1):34-38. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1645858Langen ES, Weiner SJ, Bloom SL, et al.Association of cervical effacement with the rate of cervical change in labor among nulliparous women.Obstet Gynecol. 2016;127(3):489-495. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001299American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Labor induction.MedlinePlus.Insufficient cervix.
Rhoades JS, Stout MJ, Woolfolk C, Tuuli MG, Macones GA, Cahill AG.Normal cervical effacement in term labor.Am J Perinatol. 2019;36(1):34-38. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1645858
Langen ES, Weiner SJ, Bloom SL, et al.Association of cervical effacement with the rate of cervical change in labor among nulliparous women.Obstet Gynecol. 2016;127(3):489-495. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001299
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Labor induction.
MedlinePlus.Insufficient cervix.
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