Understanding the CERVIX

Hello! What do all these terms mean? I have a superficial understanding that dilation means the cervix is opening, but WHAT PART is opening? The external os? The internal os?

Anyone know the general progression of things? Does the cervix soften first, then the external os opens, then what? I have no clue. Basically,what's the definition and relationship between these terms (I tried doing a google search and I got even more confused!):

Softening
Dilation (of external os? of internal os?)
Funneling
Shortening (effacement?)

Thank you in advance.

 

So glad you asked b/c I would really like to know too

Dianna

 

QUOTE(excitedbutnervous @ Dec 2 2007, 06:31 PM) [snapback]517614[/snapback]
Hello! What do all these terms mean? I have a superficial understanding that dilation means the cervix is opening, but WHAT PART is opening? The external os? The internal os?

Anyone know the general progression of things? Does the cervix soften first, then the external os opens, then what? I have no clue. Basically,what's the definition and relationship between these terms (I tried doing a google search and I got even more confused!):

Softening
Dilation (of external os? of internal os?)
Funneling
Shortening (effacement?)

Thank you in advance.

Dilation means its opening all the way thru. If a doctor says your pencil tip or finger tip dilated then thats all it is, open just enough for a finger tip. But when they say 1 or more cm its all the way thru.
Softning is exactly what it sounds like. The cervix which can feel like a firm nose gets mushy.
Funneling is opening from the inside out. Just picture what a funnel looks like. A doctor may have no clue a patient is dilating because the outside is closed but on U/S you can see funneling.
Shortning effacement is just what it sounds also. Your cervix just gets shorter.

Theres no exact science as to how it all happens but in general the cervix will soften, then efface and dilate. But I know many women who've one day been long closed and firm and BOOM the next day softened, effaced and dilated.

 

Thanks! When someone says they're 1cm dilated, do they mean their external os or their internal os is open 1cm?

 

My guess is that the 1cm dilation would refer to the whole cervix. But if your cervix is funneling, the dilation of the internal os would be larger than the dilation of the external os.... like this: \ /

 

That was a great way to explain it!

I want to add: if someone gets a cerclage (stitch to hold the cervix shut) there can be funnelling on either side of the stitch. I was actually funnelled TOO the stitch and not beyond the stitich (internal) this pg. Last pg (which was a loss) I funnelled on both sides of the stitch.

 

Thanks! I'm still a little confused by the term "whole cervix"--does that mean the internal os and external os are dilated the same amount? My confusion is based on my understanding that some women simply have an open external os (or it opens at some pt during pregnancy), but their internal os remains closed. If their external os is open to 1cm but their internal os is closed, are they dilated to 1cm? My doctor said they only worry about the internal os, but I forgot to ask whether dilation only referred to the internal os or to both!

Funnelling is much more clear, thanks to your explanation. Thanks!

 

What does OS stand for?


Dianna

 

My doc explained funneling and shortening cervix to me really well when I did not get the funnel picture... Imagine your uterus when you get pregnant is a deflated balloon. As the babies get bigger, more air gets into the balloon (uterus gets bigger). The neck of the balloon is your cervix. Once you blow up the balloon to a certain point, the neck gets shorter and fills up with air, adding to the size of the balloon. When the neck starts getting shorter, this is when the funneling process starts. And, as the neck(cervix) disappears into the balloon(uterus), the length of the neck(cervix) shortens.

And, everybody's physical condition is different. So unlike a balloon some people just have a uterus that grows and stretches with no funneling or shortening for a long time. Other people have it happen sooner. HTH.

 

Here you go! With illustrations!
Cervix

 

QUOTE(excitedbutnervous @ Dec 3 2007, 02:59 PM) [snapback]518385[/snapback]
Thanks! I'm still a little confused by the term "whole cervix"--does that mean the internal os and external os are dilated the same amount? My confusion is based on my understanding that some women simply have an open external os (or it opens at some pt during pregnancy), but their internal os remains closed. If their external os is open to 1cm but their internal os is closed, are they dilated to 1cm? My doctor said they only worry about the internal os, but I forgot to ask whether dilation only referred to the internal os or to both!

Funnelling is much more clear, thanks to your explanation. Thanks!



No they are not dilated to 1 cm if the internal os is closed. 1cm means the cervix is all the way open. Dilation means its open all the way thru. Like I said if it says fingertip dilated then it mean the internal part of the cervix is closed but the opening is open just a tad. There's really only the three terms. Funneling which is bad. Thats what can happen with a women with an incompatent cervix. Looks like its tight and closed then boom its open. Then there's fingertip and then theres just plain ole dilating which means its all opening up.

Try and picture it this way. Picture a donut thats hole is so tight you cannot put your finger thru it. That would be no dilation. Then picture it with on one side just being able to put your fingertip in the hole(fingertip dilated). Then picture being able to put 1-5 fingers in the hole completely thru to the other side. Thats dilation.


Os stands for external orifice of the uterus and internal oriface.


diagram of uterus and Os