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Medical Animation Encyclopedia
Cervical dilation - interactive tool
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If you have previously delivered a child, your cervix looks slot-shaped at 0 centimeters, not round.
During early labor your cervix dilates from 1 to 5 centimeters. Mild contractions, about 60 to 90 seconds in length, occur every 15 to 20 minutes.
You?ve entered the active stage of labor, which means your cervix is dilating from 5 to 8 centimeters, contractions have grown stronger and more insistent, they?re occurring once every 3 minutes or so, and are lasting about 45 seconds long. If needed, you may get an epidural or local anesthesia at this point.
Near the end of labor you arrive at the transition phase; your cervix dilates from 8 to 10 centimeters, and your contractions are intense, occurring every 2 to 3 minutes, and lasting about 1 minute in length.
At 10 centimeters, your cervix is fully dilated and you are ready to start pushing with every contraction.
Review Date: Dec 31, 2006
Reviewed By: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
Reviewed By: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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