Fun fact: The cervix often does not start to change until the hours preceeding labour…

Fun fact: The cervix often does not start to change until the hours preceeding labour or when labour begins.

If I could get £1 everytime I heard someone say they were worried about their cervix still being closed at 40 weeks, I'd be pretty rich! It's widely assumed that you hit a gestation when things 'should' be starting to happen down there, giving an indication of how soon labour will be.

Unfortunately, routine cervical examinations during pregnancy, have contributed to this anxiety. Routine vaginal examinations aren't usually offered in the UK but I know they are in many other places. . How dilated you are (or are not) does not tell us anything about when you will go into labour - unless you're already in labour!! So please don't worry if you are 38, 39, 40 or 41 weeks and your cervix is closed - that's pretty normal and really is OK. Your cervix will start start to change with sudden fluctuations in hormones.

As you can see from the next slide, high oestrogen and oxytocin levels are what contributes to the release of prostaglandins and increase in relaxin, both of which 'ripen' and dilate the Cervix. Oxytocin doesn't Start to rise to high levels until you're actually in labour.

Everyone is different, our hormone levels vary as does our cervices! One thing that does help with the promotion of oxytocin in late pregnancy is the absence of anxiety and feeling relaxed. This is why a lot of people go into labour in the middle of the night when they are asleep! . . . . . . . . . . #childbirth #pregnancy #birth #doula #childbirtheducation #pregnant #naturalbirth #cervix #birthwithoutfear #baby #motherhood #birthdoula #doulalife #newborn #homebirth #midwife #prenatal #breastfeeding #pregnantlife #empoweredbirth #midwifery #waterbirth #positivebirth #birthsupport #naturalchildbirth #babybump #childbirtheducator