Dialing in on Dilation and Effacement

What does the doctor or midwife really mean when they are talking about dilation and effacement? Sometimes that language can be confusing and all moms really know is that they have to get to 10cm dilated and 100% effaced before the baby can come out. But I'd like to dial in on what is really going on here.

A women's uterus is pear shaped (a very large pear when fully pregnant) and at the bottom of the uterus is the thick opening called the cervix. The cervix is still the uterus-- it is just the opening of it. In order for a baby to be born, a woman's uterus, more specifically the cervix, must open to allow the baby to pass through. But first it must thin out. Think of putting on a turtle neck shirt. First you must scrunch it up before you open it and put your head through. Comparatively, the cervix must scrunch up or thin out and then it can open. Sometimes opening (dilating) and thinning (effacing) happen simultaneously, but the cervix must be completely thin before the baby can be born. So, if you are in labor and you go to the hospital and your care provider does a vaginal check and says you are 3cm dilated but 100% effaced, take heart, you are well on your way to having a baby. Below is a diagram of dilation and effacement that might help clear any misconceptions up. I hope this little anatomy lesson helped you understand dilation and effacement better. Maybe we will tackle station sometime...