Introduction: Laboring women are often admitted to labor units under criteria that are commonly associated with the onset of active-phase labor (i.e., cervical dilatation of 3–5 cm in the presence of ...

There are 3 stages of labor. Active labor begins at about 5-6 cm of dilation. You need to be 10 cm dilated to deliver vaginally. After the birth, you’ll deliver the placenta. The cervix, which is the ...

Epidural analgesia initiated early in labor (when the cervix is less than 4.0 cm dilated) has been associated with an increased risk of cesarean delivery. It is unclear, however, whether this increase ...

The cervix changes in early pregnancy and throughout the menstrual cycle. Here's how to check your cervix for pregnancy. Medically reviewed by Renita White, MD Checking your cervix at home can help ...

As your due date approaches, you may be wondering how dilated your cervix is and if you are making progress toward delivery. While only your doctor can confirm cervical dilation, you can do a ...