Pregnancy is a very difficult period in the life of every woman. Even if pregnancy proceeds without complications, there are many factors that can contribute to the deterioration of a woman’s physical condition. During this period, dramatic changes occur throughout the body, and you need to be prepared for this, which is why a woman should know the nuances of pregnancy and prenatal preparation. Today we'll talk about how to soften the cervix before childbirth and why it is needed.
Cervical ripening before childbirth
Quite complex changes occur in a woman’s body during pregnancy, this also applies to the cervix, which, in turn, changes in all its characteristics and parameters. Throughout the entire period of bearing a child, the normal state of the uterus is closed, and only the onset of labor will change its condition.
- Closure of the uterus during pregnancy is a normal process, because its premature opening can lead to termination of pregnancy, which is why, when the time of birth approaches, doctors are required to conduct frequent examinations to determine the maturity of the cervix and its condition.
- If the pregnancy proceeds without complications, the cervix softens and smoothes out to some extent before childbirth. This condition is normal in the last stages of gestation and means that there is very little time left to wait, and labor is about to begin.
- As soon as labor begins, the pressure in the uterus begins to increase, which provokes its opening.
- Dilation of the cervix before childbirth is characterized by cramping pain in a woman giving birth. The pain is concentrated in the lumbar area and abdomen.
Stages of cervical dilatation
The cervix goes through several stages of dilatation before childbirth. The first is called latent or slow. It lasts 4-6 hours with a dilatation of up to 4 cm. In this case, contractions occur every 6-7 minutes.
The second stage is called active or fast. Every hour the cervix dilates by 1 cm. This continues up to 10 cm, and contractions occur every minute.
The third stage is full disclosure. It characterizes the process of the onset of labor. Sometimes the dilation of the cervix is premature. This is evidence of pathology and, without treatment, can cause premature birth or miscarriage.
A pregnant woman should remember that in the period before childbirth she needs to be prepared for the fact that labor will begin earlier. If you feel unwell or have other symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.
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Normally, it is completely closed; towards childbirth it becomes softer and shorter. Its canal gradually expands and, when fully ripe, begins to let the finger inside. Such maturity of the uterus indicates the imminent onset of labor. During the birth of a child, the cervix shortens and smoothes, and directly opens by 8-10 centimeters.
In a healthy woman, the cervical canal remains closed until the onset of labor. However, in some cases premature disclosure occurs. This happens with the development of a pathology such as isthmic-cervical insufficiency. It can occur as a result of injuries caused by previous abortions, surgeries, ruptures in previous births, and for other reasons.
Usually, the cervix begins to prepare for labor gradually, 2-3 weeks before it begins. Signs of preparation are the presence of training contractions and the release of the mucus plug covering the cervical canal. As a rule, first-time women notice the presence of these symptoms earlier than with repeat births. The opening and smoothing of the cervix can begin directly in the child.
Determining on your own whether disclosure has begun is quite difficult. This can be done by the attending physician during a gynecological examination. Based on the results of the examination, he can judge the woman’s readiness for the birth process.
How to give birth without gaps: preparation
If by 38 weeks the cervix is not yet ready for the birth of a baby, medications are often used to soften it. The use of any medications should be carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor. An obstetrician-gynecologist may prescribe the use of antispasmodic drugs in the form of tablets or suppositories that relieve muscle tension, as well as prostaglandins that promote rapid maturation, and physical stimulation.
You can start preparing the cervix and perineum for childbirth at. 4 weeks before the expected birth, gynecologists advise women to actively engage in sex without a condom. Due to natural massage during friction, contractions of the uterus during orgasm and the influence of prostaglandins contained in male sperm on the woman’s body, the cervix softens. However, sexual intercourse is possible only in cases where both partners are healthy.
Evening primrose oil is recommended to be used internally from 36 weeks, one capsule, and from 38 - two capsules. It should be taken before meals and washed down with plenty of water. The fatty acids contained in the oil increase the production of prostaglandins, but you should consult your doctor before using it.
Eating oily fish also helps prepare the cervix for childbirth. This method has no contraindications.
Gentle massage of the nipples with oil or baby cream stimulates the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is necessary for the contraction of the uterus and the onset of labor. This procedure is recommended to be carried out from 38 weeks twice a day for 5-10 minutes.
You can use a decoction of raspberry leaves. Place two tablespoons of dried crushed leaves in an enamel pan, add a liter of water, bring to a boil, strain and cool. From 38 weeks, before each meal you need to drink 100 ml of the resulting decoction.
At 36 weeks, you can start taking rosehip infusion, which not only softens the cervix, but also saturates the woman’s body with useful vitamins and microelements. For 150 grams of dried berries you need a liter of boiling water. Take 200 ml infusion on an empty stomach every morning.
Hawthorn tincture will prepare the cervix for childbirth. Thanks to the use of 10-15 drops of tincture dissolved in water at dinner, the pregnant woman’s sleep will also become more restful.
Strawberry decoction is very useful. It is made from fresh berries, leaves and water. From the 37th week of pregnancy it can be consumed in unlimited quantities instead of tea.
Perineal massage with baby oil or a special cream helps to avoid ruptures during childbirth. It is performed daily before bed with your fingers for 3-5 minutes, starting from the 36th week of pregnancy.
It should be remembered that it is undesirable to carry out artificial stimulation of labor without medical indications, as this may have negative consequences: painful contractions, oxygen starvation of the fetus, the risk of uterine rupture along the scar in previous births, and unpreparedness of the fetus. Artificial stimulation may be necessary in cases of postterm pregnancy, large fetus, hypertension in a woman, or prolapse of the umbilical cord, but the decision on stimulation in any case must be made by the attending physician. Preparing the uterus for childbirth and stimulating labor are completely different things. If in the first case you can safely use most folk remedies at home, then in the second all procedures should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of medical staff.
Statistics show that the average person knows little about his body. Also, pregnant women, even those who have been planning a child for a long time, are not always interested in the process of childbirth itself: learning breathing techniques, knowing when to go to the maternity hospital and call an ambulance. We will talk about the last point in more detail in the article, because the beginning of labor is the dilation of the cervix. How does this happen, how much does the uterus open before the birth of a child?
Cervical length before birth
There are three components of the condition of the uterus, which determine how easy the birth will be and whether there will be any complications:
- location of the uterus
- how much the uterus is softened and smoothed
- How much has the length of the cervix decreased?
It is quite simple to find out whether the birth canal is prepared for childbirth; it is necessary to determine the softness of the cervix. If she misses two fingers, it means she is fully prepared for childbirth. If the uterus opens, the mucus plug comes out - these are interconnected processes.
Just before childbirth, shortening of the cervix can be observed, and the results of an ultrasound examination can confirm this. The length of the uterus in this case is only one centimeter.
Softening the cervix before childbirth
Childbirth will take place without any complications and injuries for mother and child if the uterus is properly softened and smoothed. Hormonal changes control this natural process.
The fetal head presses on the muscle tissue, thereby relaxing them and increasing in size. This process makes it clear that the uterus is fully mature and ready for labor. If the softening of the tissues provoked the removal of the plug, then labor should begin very soon.
It happens that the uterus does not soften or smooth out until childbirth. This behavior of the body is abnormal and indicates that it is not ready for the onset of labor. In this case, if the birth process does start, there is a high risk that when the baby’s head begins to move forward, muscle tissue will rupture.
Suppositories for preparing the cervix for childbirth
To prepare the cervix for childbirth, suppositories with antispasmodics can be used. These include drugs buscopan, suppositories with belladonna, papaverine or colposeptin. Due to local action, suppositories have a direct effect on the cervix, relaxing it and allowing it to soften and open smoothly. They are prescribed a few days before birth on the recommendation of a doctor.
To stimulate the ripening of the cervix, kelp preparations are prescribed - special sticks are inserted into the area of the cervix, where they swell, causing it to open slightly, thereby stimulating its ripening.
Methods for softening the cervix before childbirth
If there is very little time left before childbirth, and examination of the cervix before childbirth reveals its immaturity, doctors prescribe common methods of preparing the uterus for labor. Such manipulations include the use of:
- non-medicinal drugs
- gel for the cervix before childbirth
- antispasmodics
- massage
- kelp, etc.
Pregnancy is a period in a woman’s life when independent decision-making about her condition is contraindicated. You shouldn’t think that you know better what to do during pregnancy, because no one but you can feel all the sensations.
You must understand that self-medication during this period can result in spontaneous abortion and even death for the mother.
Remember, you can take antispasmodics immediately before giving birth only if your doctor has prescribed such treatment for you. Among other things, the doctor may also prescribe the following medications:
- pills for the cervix before childbirth
- suppositories for softening the cervix before childbirth
- use of oxytocin
- special gels
The most common method to prepare the uterus for childbirth is to inject a hormone called Oxytocin. If the pregnancy proceeds without complications and the pregnant woman’s health is normal, this hormone is produced in the required quantity naturally. The process of its active development begins before and during labor.
Additional introduction of the hormone in question into the woman’s body is needed so that the uterus softens, opens and childbirth takes place without complications and difficulties, as well as injuries to the mother and child. In medical practice, for the purposes under consideration, special gels are also used by introducing them into the cervical canal.
- To keep the muscle muscles relaxed and the cervix to open at the right time, using a gel is an excellent and effective method.
- Tablets, as well as suppositories, are also often used in cases where the uterus is not softened, and labor should begin very soon. To prepare for childbirth in this way, the pregnant woman must undergo hospital treatment, because this type of treatment is contraindicated at home. Doctors can prescribe such drugs as early as 37 weeks of pregnancy.
- The most effective way to speed up the opening of the uterus and influence its softness is the use of kelp. Seaweed contains a large amount of polysaccharides. The main ability of such algae is to quickly absorb liquid, while increasing in size.
The effectiveness of such dried sticks is observed within four hours after their introduction into the cervical canal.
The main advantages of this method are:
- affordable price
- no side effects
- high efficiency of application
How to prepare the cervix for childbirth if it is not ripe?
Only a doctor can determine whether the cervix is ready for delivery. During the examination, the gynecologist takes a closer look at its location, hardness, degree of smoothness and patency of the cervical canal. Based on these indicators, it is assessed whether a pregnant woman has an immature cervix, an insufficiently mature or mature cervix.
Routine examinations of the uterus begin at 38 weeks of pregnancy.
If upon first examination the uterus does not show a normal level of maturity, there is no need to worry. Each woman’s body has its own characteristics, and cervical dilatation can occur even during the period of delivery.
In cases where labor dynamics are not observed, the doctor may resort to methods to accelerate the labor process.
The process of preparing the immature cervix before childbirth at 40 weeks, in order to stimulate labor, can only be caused if there are a number of compelling factors, such as:
- Hormone imbalance. Lack of estrogen slows down the process of softening cervical tissue.
- The presence of scars from operations and ruptures. Scars are considered a mechanical obstacle to tissue softening.
- Post-term pregnancy.
- The muscles of the female organ do not have sufficient elasticity. This factor may vary from person to person.
The softening of the tissues of the cervix of the female reproductive organ can be strongly influenced by the nervous background of the pregnant woman. The last prenatal periods of bearing a baby should be characterized by a calm readiness for childbirth. The presence of panic attacks in a woman can cause inhibition of natural processes in the body.
As a rule, doctors do not prepare a woman for artificial childbirth. The doctor cannot always understand why the cervix cannot ripen in due time. However, in medical practice there are certain indications that give permission to accelerate the birth process:
- manifestation of concomitant pathology during delivery, obliging immediate delivery;
- pregnancy is at 42 weeks;
- manifestation of uncontrolled gestosis;
- the fetus develops with a delay;
- there is Rh factor incompatibility between the mother and the child;
- there is a threat to the child’s health;
- the presence of injuries to the cervix received during previous births.
A contraindication to the use of methods of artificially stimulating uterine dilatation is planned and unplanned cesarean section.
Traditional medicine methods
The use of any of the following methods should only be done after consulting with your doctor:
- raspberry leaf decoction
- primrose oil
- cinnamon powder decoction
These methods should be used no earlier than 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Under no circumstances should the following methods be used, because they are dangerous to the health of the pregnant woman and her baby:
- Enema
- taking hot water treatments
- sex
- excessive stress on the body, including physical
All this stimulates the dilatation of the cervix, but the consequences of what is happening can be far from positive. It is worth noting that regular visits to the doctor during pregnancy will reduce the risk of problems during this period to a minimum.
