Dilation, effacement and plug questions...

Discussion in 'Pregnancy Help' started by kdoleva, Jan 31, 2008.

  1. kdoleva

    kdoleva Well-Known Member

    I hope this post gets to those Moms that had already given birth, I am a first timer...

    I had an appointment today that included a manual cervical length check and found out I am 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. 2 weeks ago in the hospital I was only slightly dilated. So this is a big change. I came home and about an hour later went to the bathroom to find that I was spotting browish blood. I called the Dr. and they said if there is no cramping it is fine.

    What I would like to know is, am I close to going into labor? What is more telling: dilation or effacement? I should add that I have been having contractions all day yesterday, last night and today. They don't hurt that much though and there is not a lot of back pain.

    Also, can someone please describe in detail what this curious mucus plug looks like? I am quite intriqued and at the same time, frightened by this plug! I am sure that what I am picturing is nowhere near what the actual plug looks like, or least for my sake I hope not!

    Thanks everyone. I think I am getting close. I hope.
     
  2. alliandre

    alliandre Well-Known Member

    I'm really not sure if there is anything 'for sure' to tell if you are in labor except being in labor. With DD1 I was dialated to a 3 and 80% effaced for 1 1/2 months. I also lost my mucus plug two weeks before actually going into labor. But this is just my experience.

    The mucus plug looks like someone blew their nose and it was a little bloody. It's pretty gross. At least you know about it, when I lost mine I thought something was really wrong because I'd never heard of a mucus plug.

    HTH! Good luck!
     
  3. kdoleva

    kdoleva Well-Known Member

    Thanks for clarifying about the plug, that does sound gross but as I suspected it was not what I was envisioning. haha, phew.
     
  4. jenanne

    jenanne Well-Known Member

    I don't actually know much about dilation and effacement, but my OB told me today I'm 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated, which in her mind is really not much (but keep in mind I'm 36 weeks). I've had contractions for 10 weeks but they've never led to cervical changes (mine was still 5 cm long until last week). But since you're only 33+ weeks pregant, better to be on the safe side and let your OB know if you're having more than the "limit" of contractions that your doctor has set.
    :)
     
  5. Kyrstyn

    Kyrstyn Well-Known Member

    I agree with the PP that there is really no way to tell "for sure" that you are going into labor. Some women go months being 1+cm dilated, some don't... Every woman and situation is different.

    When I lost my mucous plug it wasn't bloody at all. It looked exactly like it sounds a Mucousy Plug. Mine came out in chunks over the course of a few days.

    It is awesome that you are 33+ weeks! Try not to worry momma, you are doing great!
     
  6. brookbranplus2

    brookbranplus2 Well-Known Member

    The brownish blood that you had was probably some of your mucous plug. That's what mine looked like last time.
     
  7. natasha163

    natasha163 Well-Known Member

    ok, while you girls are reading this post about dil, eff etc,....

    1) when then ob is saying your cervix is closed does that mean your not dialated at all?

    2) is effacement related to cervical lenth? how is eff measured?

    i am 32 weeks and cervix is 3cm...no mention of dilation, effacement etc , just closed...so i am very interested to see some of the definitions in this post. thanks to the poster for good qu!

    one more thing...does your mucous plug only come away when you start to dilate?







    0
     
  8. Sofiesmom

    Sofiesmom Well-Known Member

    It's very normal to spot a little after an internal exam. I had it most of the time, especially when I was dialated (I was 2 cm at 32 and 33 weeks, 3 cm at 34 and 35 weeks, 4 cm at 36 and 37 weeks and 4 1/2 cm at 38 weeks).
     
  9. walker006

    walker006 Well-Known Member

    With dd1 i was dilated to 4 for a month. Being your 33+ wks , you want them to stay in. Its too early for them to make an appearance. I know your probably tired and sore. But they will be with you soon.
    And i agree with pp, its normal to spot alittle after internal.
     
  10. Boni

    Boni Well-Known Member

    I would say get your hospital and baby bag ready, place it at the door and stay in, making sure you ahve a direct line to dh. I was 2cm dilate at 28 weeks but ha minimal effacement. But at 36 weeks, i started getting contrations and effacement started. The girls were born that night by emergency c-section.
     
  11. twinzmom2b

    twinzmom2b Well-Known Member

    At 33 weeks pregnant with twins...all of that sounds pretty normal to me. You may have just had some spotting if they did a manual exam...especially if you are already dilated.

    I was 1 cm (and some effacement but I can't remember how much) at 27 weeks. At 32 weeks I was 2 cm and 80%. I went into labor (that they could no longer stop with mag and terb) at 34w1d and when they checked me (and decided to do the c-section), I was 4 cm and 100%.

    But, to give you something to compare to...my cousin, who is 39 weeks today...was 4 cm and 80% effaced at her OB apt. last Friday (singleton though). They told her it would be anytime, but scheduled an induction for this morning...she made it to her induction and is at the hospital right now. They never thought she would go another week. So, it all depends on the person how far you can be dilated and effaced beofre it's actually labor.

    I hope you can last a few more weeks!!!!

    I have no advice on the mucus plug. I had so much discharge (starting around 32 weeks) that it was just gross...but I don't really remember it being blood streaked.
     
  12. womb for 2

    womb for 2 Well-Known Member

    When it comes to effacement and dilation try to envision it this way. Picture your uterus as a balloon and your cervix is the neck of the balloon. Roll the neck of the balloon up and it is too hard to try and stretch it open. This is like when your cervix is closed. As you roll down the neck of the balloon it gets easier to stretch it open. Compare the rolling down of the neck of the balloon effacement, and the stretching open the balloon is dilation. So really, you can’t have dilation without effacement.

    The mucous plug is really just that. It is mucous that is present in your cervix your entire pregnancy. It acts as a barrier to prevent bacteria entering your uterus. As your cervix starts to efface and dilate this mucous starts to stretch a bit to fill in the gap of your opening cervix. When your doctor does an internal exam to see if you are dilating, they are examining the very spot that this mucous is trying to cover, and with the disturbance some of the mucous can pull away, giving you a bloody show. After your cervix opens too much, and the mucous can stretch no more, you will see the rest come out. The pliability of your plug will determine how soon you lose it. This is why some women lose their plug a few weeks before labor, and some lose it while in labor. Your plug is also continually renewing itself, so if you lose part of your plug early on, it can grow back.

    With that being said, here is what I have experienced –

    Baby #1 – dilated 2 cm @ 37 weeks, lost plug @ 39 weeks, delivered @ 41 weeks
    Baby #2 – dilated 3 cm @ 36 weeks, lost plug three days before delivery, delivered @ 40 weeks
    Baby #3 – lost plug while in labor at 41 weeks (don’t know about dilation, I chose not to have any internal exams)
    Twins – lost plug about 8 hours before they were born and it was a quick labor so there was no internals done before hand

    I hope this helps!

    Sam
     
  13. kdoleva

    kdoleva Well-Known Member

    You guys are awesome, thanks for sharing. I love TS!
     
  14. carliegil

    carliegil Well-Known Member

    Hello everyone! I am currently 33 weeks and have been on bedrest/hospitalized for PL since 26 weeks. Today I was told that I am now 100% effaced(last week I was 90) and still dilated to 2. My OB told me to come back again on Monday so she can do an ultrasound and check on me again. Since I am 100% effaced does that mean I can go sometime in the next week? I was hoping to at least hold out 1 more weeks until I am 34 weeks but I guess I don't have much control over everything. Also, I don't recall losing my mucus plug--wouldn't I have lost it already since I am 100 effaced?
     
  15. nickys88

    nickys88 Well-Known Member

    Effacement = the shortening / thinning of your cervical neck. Dilatation = the diameter of your cervix - hence 10 cms dilated = fully dilated which then allows the baby to enter to vaginal canal for birth. The cervix tip feels like the tip of your nose when it is closed - when it starts to dilate it is measured in cms - so normally a fingertip that can be just inserted into the opening of the cervix is roughly 1cm. Here is a wonderful site that shows you an anatomical cross section of birth - it shows the cervix effacing (pulling up) and the cervix also dilating.
    http://www.glumbert.com/media/birth


    The mucous plug looks and feels like egg white - it is like a clear, stretchy egg white substance that can either be blood stained or clear. It is like the mid cycle vaginal discharge just prior to ovulation.
     
  16. shenley07

    shenley07 New Member

    well i'm not having twins or anything but i need help what does it mean when your 37wks and 4days 70percent effaced and the front of your cervix is 1cm dilated but he back is a fingertip and no mucus plug irregular mild contractions
     
  17. melstofko

    melstofko Well-Known Member

    I am the same way, the cervical os (or opening) is dilated to one but it isn't open all the way into where the babies are. My OB says that this is completely normal for women who have had children before. When you are 70% effaced that means that your cervix is shortening and thinning out in preparation for labor. Before the baby is born it should be 100% percent effaced so you are almost there. I believe that I read somewhere that in first time moms effacement usually happens first and then dilation and it is usually the opposite for women who have had babies before but dont's quote me on that.
     
  18. hsuter

    hsuter Well-Known Member

    Is all of this effacement and dialation stuff found through manual exams or can they tell with a trans vag u/s? I get my cervix measured every week now and Tuesday it was 3.5...that means I'm not dialated or effaced any right?
     
  19. summerfun

    summerfun Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    QUOTE(Hsuter @ Aug 22 2008, 02:33 AM) [snapback]942051[/snapback]
    Tuesday it was 3.5...that means I'm not dialated or effaced any right?

    That is probably the length of your cervix. That does not necessarily mean you are not dilated or effaced. I would assume they would tell you if you were.
     
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