In preparation for the birth of your baby, your cervix effaces (thins and stretches) and dilates (opens) so your baby can fit through the birth canal. This cervical ripening can begin days or even ...

Your body undergoes a tremendous amount of changes during pregnancy. While many of these transformations are easy to see (hello, growing belly!), others aren’t. The position of your cervix is one of ...

If you're a first-time mother and you opt for epidural anesthesia during labor, your doctor may suggest you wait about an hour after your cervix is completely dilated before you start trying to push ...

Some people claim that certain exercises, stretches, relaxation techniques, and laughing may help a pregnant person dilate faster. However, there is typically only anecdotal support for these ...

The Friedman curve, the gold standard for rates of cervical dilation and fetal descent during active labor, was developed almost 50 years ago. To define a modern curve for normal labor, these ...

There’s a lot of confusion about the bloody show. But it is simply a sign that your body is getting ready to give birth. That said, your labor may not start as soon as you hope. Finally, for the grand ...

Dr. Jyotsna Vohra , Director of Research at Tommy's charity , added that unplanned Cesareans often occur under stressful conditions. "To find that these mothers face added risks of preterm birth later ...