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 ...

1st stage of labor begins with contractions that are close enough and strong enough to bring about a change in your cervical dilation. The first stage ends when you are 10 centimeters (cm) dilated.

When a pregnant woman is in labor, the wait for "10" — the number of centimeters the cervix must be dilated before the baby can be born without intervention — can feel like forever. In reality, the ...