1 Centimeter Dilation – What Does It Mean for Your Labor

As you progress in your pregnancy and reach the final stage of your third trimester, you may want to know the signs and symptoms that you are in labor and ready to deliver! Being 1 centimeter dilated means your body is prepping for childbirth. Your doctor can start examining your cervix somewhere close to 37 weeks of pregnancy to check for dilation and effacement at regular intervals. However, with just 1 cm dilation, it cannot be said for sure when the actual labor will start. Read the following article to understand what 1-centimetre dilation, or the size of a Cheerio dilation during pregnancy, means and indicates!

What Is 1 Cm Dilation?

During the last trimester of pregnancy, from 37 weeks and 42 weeks of pregnancy, the cervix undergoes dilation and effacement to help the baby pass through the birth canal (1). Dilation of the cervix happens to assist the baby to move from the uterus through the vaginal canal. If your cervix is 1 cm dilated, this means it has started thinning and is ready to open for your baby’s movement through the birth canal. 10 cm is when your cervix is fully dilated and your are ready for labour (2). However, 1 cm dilation cannot be taken as an indication of your baby’s birth but can be taken as one of the signs that your body is preparing for birth. Some women may dilate for up to 4 cm until they enter the active stage of labor or deliver their baby.

Every woman may experience labour differently, and while some can be 3 cm dilated and 70 per cent effaced and still may not go into labour for weeks and then may suddenly go into labour, on the other hand, some may not dilate until they are into active labour.

When Does Labour Start After Getting 1 Cm Dilated?

If you are wondering that you are 1 cm dilated at 37 weeks, how much longer until labour? Well, the actual time that you may take from being 1 cm dilated to actually entering active labour may vary from one woman to another. Women who have given birth before may sometimes dilate days or weeks before actual labour begins. However, for the women who are first-time mommies, dilation may happen just before they are ready to deliver. Therefore, dilation in isolation cannot be considered a sign of labour until it is accompanied by other signs or symptoms of labour.

However, if you are 1 cm dilated at 38 weeks and want to know how to speed up labour, you can ask the doctor for tips!

What Are the Other Signs of Labour?

Here are some other signs of labour that you should look out for:

1. Contractions

Contractions are the tightening and releasing of the muscles around your uterus. It is common for pregnant women to experience such contractions or even Braxton Hicks, throughout their pregnancy. The time between two contractions is key in determining labour.

2. Loss of Mucus Plug

The mucus plug seals the cervical opening when pregnancy begins. This plug will break and fall out as dilation progresses. This plug may look like discharge and indicates that the woman is days or weeks away from giving birth.

3. Water Breaking

When labour is about to begin, the membrane around the baby breaks and falls out. It can result in a sudden gush of liquid or just a slight trickle. If this is followed by cramps or contractions, you may be going into labour.

4. Lightening

Lightening is when the body shifts the baby closer to the cervix to prepare for labour. This can occur anytime before labour.

What Does 1 Cm Dilated and 50 Effaced Mean?

As you progress in your final trimester and closer to delivery, your uterus will get lower and lower; this will make your cervix become shorter and thinner, or in other words, your cervix will become effaced (3). Effacement is measured in per cent by your doctor, where 0 per cent means not all effaced and 50 per cent means halfway. 100 per cent means you are ready to deliver your baby. As you keep getting effaced, the cervix will disappear and will blend with the uterus, also known as ripening or thinning.

If you are 1 cm dilated or are 50 per cent effaced, this means that your body has started getting ready for labour and delivery (4). At this stage, your cervix not only starts opening up but also thinning, so that the baby can move easily from the uterus through the birth canal.

1 Cm Dilation in Early Pregnancy

In a healthy or normal pregnancy, the cervix remains tightly closed until you enter the later stage of the third trimester. As this happens, your baby drops in your pelvis, and your cervix starts opening and preparing for labor. However, in some cases, dilation may occur early in pregnancy (sometimes around 20 weeks of pregnancy), this may happen due to a condition known as an incompetent cervix. As per the American Pregnancy Association, this condition can occur due to a number of reasons, such as congenital abnormalities, damage during earlier births, abortion, etc. If your doctor suspects any such condition, your doctor may advise certain measures such as cerclage (the cervix is stitched) to prevent premature labor or to prevent abortion or pregnancy loss (5).

However, this is a very rare occurrence and is seen in around 1 to 2 per cent of cases only. But if you are 1 cm dilated at 36 weeks or before and experiencing signs of labor, you should get in touch with your doctor.

Should You Call a Doctor at 1 Cm Dilation?

Well, in most cases, there is no need to call your doctor if you are only 1 cm dilated, until or unless you experience any of the following:

• If there is any fluid leaking
• If you experience any kind of bleeding
• If you experience any kind of pressure in your pelvic region, frequent contractions, or other such signs (before 36 weeks of pregnancy)
• If you have any signs of bloody discharge or you lose your mucus plug (post 37 weeks of pregnancy)
• If you experience contractions that are 3 to 4 minutes apart

FAQs

1. Is cervical dilation painful?

Natural cervical dilation is a unique experience for different women. In fact, some women don’t even realise that their dilation has started until they see the bloody show or lose their mucus plug. On the other hand, intense contractions can start as the cervix starts dilating for some women. That said, it is a unique experience and can vary from person to person.

2. How long does it take for the cervix to dilate from 1 to 10 cm?

The duration of cervical dilation varies from woman to woman. The duration basically depends on a lot of key factors, such as the baby’s position, frequency and intensity of contractions, and the mother’s health. It is common for first-time mothers to take longer to get their cervix dilated, on average, 6 to 12 hours for 1 to 10 cm dilation, whereas women with subsequent pregnancies are quicker with cervix dilation, usually taking 5 to 12 hours.

3. What happens when you are dilated by 2, 3 and 6 cm?

At 2 cm of dilation, you may go into labor in hours or stay at 2 cm dilation for days. It does not indicate active labor. At 3 cm of dilation, you are just entering active labour. This is the longest part of labour as your cervix needs to reach 6 cm of dilation. It can take anywhere from 8-12 hours for this to happen. Once you reach about 6 cm of dilation, you are considered to be in active labor. Your contractions will become more regular, more painful, and will last longer. 

4. What does 60, 70 and 80 per cent effaced mean?

Effacement is when your cervix becomes shorter, softer, and thinner in preparation for your baby’s birth. The percentage of effacement indicates that your cervix is that percentage effaced. It also indicates how close you are to being able to start pushing. 

If you are 1 cm dilated, this means your body is prepping up for your munchkin’s arrival! However, you may not know when you will actually go into labor. You should stay calm, be in touch with the doctor, and keep a tab on your symptoms.

Also Read:

Guide to Speed up Labour
Cervix Dilation during Child Birth
Importance of Cervical Length while Pregnant

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Sources References

1. National Library of Medicine – Physiology, Cervical Dilation

2. Mayo Clinic – Signs of labor: Know what to expect

3. Mayo Clinic – Cervical effacement and dilation

4. FreeMedicalJournals.com – Real Dilated Cervix Pictures Pregnancy: 1–10 cm Cervical Dilation Explained by a Doctor

5. American Pregnancy Association – Incompetent Cervix: Weakened Cervix