Near the end of the third trimester, a woman's cervix will soften in order to begin the process of effacing (thinning and stretching) and dilating (opening up). An open cervix allows the baby to pass ...

Near the end of pregnancy, the cervix softens to help prepare for labor. If your cervix isn't softening naturally, there are safe ways to encourage it at home. Always consult with your healthcare ...

To compare time to delivery between two induction procedures. The Foley balloon is a mechanical method for cervical ripening. However, the device may also result in endogenous prostaglandin release ...

Cervical dilation sounds pretty intense, but if you are in labor, it's going to happen. The question is, how do you know if you're dilated and ready to deliver your baby? The cervix is a magical ...

Introduction: Laboring women are often admitted to labor units under criteria that are commonly associated with the onset of active-phase labor (i.e., cervical dilatation of 3–5 cm in the presence of ...