Being 1 centimeter dilated means that your body is preparing for childbirth. However, it’s not a reliable indicator of when your labor will actually begin. Your cervix is the passageway from the ...

Dilation and effacement are your body's way of getting ready for labor – your cervix gradually opens (dilates) and thins out (effaces) to help your baby make that grand entrance. This process can ...

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 ...