In plain words
Cervical ripening is the set of changes that make the cervix ready for labor. The cervix goes from firm and closed to soft, thinner, and more open. Mothers may notice it through a shift in discharge, a feeling of pressure, or a cervix that is softer at a prenatal exam. Ripening can begin well before contractions, and it may happen over days or weeks. A cervix that has ripened is not the same as labor being close, because some people stay soft for a long time before labor starts. Your provider may use a score called the to describe how ready the cervix is, and may talk with you about options if labor is .
The deeper version
Cervical ripening is an inflammatory remodeling process. cross-links are broken down, glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronan increase tissue water content, and leukocytes infiltrate the stroma, mediated largely by E2 and F2-alpha, nitric oxide, and cytokines. Readiness is assessed clinically with the Bishop score, which combines , , station, consistency, and position; higher scores are associated with a higher chance of vaginal birth after induction in multiparous and cohorts (Bishop 1964; Laughon and colleagues 2011). Pharmacologic ripening uses prostaglandin analogs and mechanical methods such as balloon catheters, and the ACOG practice bulletin on describes outcomes by method. The main controversy is how to define the start of labor when ripening and contractions overlap.
Where it comes up
- Signs labor is startingGetting Ready for Birth
- Induction: why, how, and what to askGetting Ready for Birth
- Early labor at home: when to go inGetting Ready for Birth
- Going past your due datePregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about cervical ripening
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Practice Bulletin No. 107: Induction of labor, 2009, reaffirmed
- Bishop EH — Pelvic scoring for elective induction. Obstetrics and Gynecology 1964