Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Effacement & Dilation: What Do They Mean? | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
My daughter is expecting her third child and is 39 weeks along. What does it mean when the doctor told her she is "70 percent effaced." I know you can stay the same as far as being dilated for a long time, but does the same go for effacement?— Anxious Grandma | | | ANSWER |
June 12, 2001 | | | Dear Anxious Grandma,
As you know, dilation is the amount the cervix has opened and effacement is how much it has shortened. As the cervix gets ready for labor, first time moms tend to efface first, while second and later pregnancies usually start with dilation.
It can be frustrating to get towards the end of pregnancy and be given these pieces of information that almost seem to tease you about when the baby will come. What does it mean? The problem is--we don't usually know. Some women start labor with a cervix that is uneffaced and undilated, while others slowly progress to four centimeters and 100 percent effaced before labor begins. When there has been rapid cervical change between two visits--like the cervix goes from one to three centimeters dilated or from 0 to 80 percent effaced, it usually means labor will start within a week--but not always. Slower changes don't really mean anything.
So, I am sorry that I can't give you a definitive answer, but I can say congratulations on your upcoming grandchild. Enjoy!
— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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