The cervix is a narrow ring of muscle at the lower end of your uterus that is the passage through which the baby travels during birth. During pregnancy the cervix changes position quite a few times, and it changes drastically at the end of pregnancy as you begin to labor. Before pregnancy, your cervix is mostly closed, rigid, and approximately 3 cm long. At about 12 days pregnant your cervix rises slightly, lengthens, and softens a little from the extra blood flowing to the area; if you are familiar with the feel, position, and texture of your cervix regularly, you will likely be able to tell when this change occurs and may even suspect your pregnancy before you take a test! During pregnancy, the cervix thickens and becomes sealed shut with mucus referred to as the mucus plug. This mucus plug acts as a wonderful barrier to keep germs and other infections from entering your uterus and possibly harming the baby…

Braxton Hicks contractions are intermittent uterine contractions that can start early on in pregnancy. Some women never notice them, others notice them early on, and still others will not notice them until about half way through the pregnancy. These contractions are named after Doctor John Braxton Hicks who first described them in 1872. Braxton Hicks will likely occur more frequently the farther you progress in your pregnancy and, in your last few weeks, may even come regularly and painfully which can cause confusion with preterm labor. Braxton Hicks at the end of your pregnancy can be very intense and frequent, but they aren’t pointless; these contractions can help efface (thin out) and possibly even dilate (open up) your cervix. While some doctors may call this false labor, it is more aptly described as prelabor because it does actually have a purpose in preparing your cervix for labor…

Pregnancy Blog

Pregnancy Blog

C is for Cervix

B is for Braxton Hicks

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