Cervical Dilation Chart: What to Expect at Each Centimeter of Dilation

During my second pregnancy, when my doctor told me I was 2 centimeters dilated, I remember looking at him in complete panic. I was considered high-risk since my first daughter was born early, so finding out I was already dilating before even reaching 30 weeks was terrifying. He reassured me that I was being closely monitored and would be okay. I walked around dilated for several more weeks before my second little one entered the world.

Cervical dilation is a key part of your body’s labor process, but it can also be a head-scratcher. How do you know how dilated you are? How quickly does your cervix go from completely closed to ready to deliver? And what happens when things stall—can you speed up the process? Here, we share everything you should know about cervix dilation in pregnancy and labor, including a handy cervical dilation chart by centimeter.

Key Takeaways

• When does cervical dilation start?: Dilation typically begins once baby has dropped and is putting pressure on the cervix.
• Cervication dilation timeline: A dilated cervix doesn’t necessarily indicate that delivery is right around the corner; dilation can start in the third trimester long before active labor begins.
• How do you dilate? Uterine contractions help the cervix open up. As they get stronger and closer together, dilation speeds up.
• How much do you dilate? Your cervix will go from completely closed to 10 centimeters dilated before baby arrives.

What Is Cervical Dilation?

Cervical dilation is a natural and biological part of labor and childbirth, says Dr. Meleen Chuang, MD, an ob-gyn and medical director of women’s health at the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone.

During the laboring process, you’ll hear a lot about dilation and effacement, both of which refer to changes that happen in the cervix as the body prepares to deliver baby. Toward the end of pregnancy, as labor approaches, the cervix must thin (efface) and open (dilate) to accommodate baby during delivery.

Cervical dilation is measured in centimeters, with 0 centimeters being completely closed and 10 centimeters (the approximate width of a newborn’s head) being fully dilated. You must have a fully dilated cervix in order to start pushing baby through the birth canal.

Cervical Dilation Chart

To help you understand just how dilated you’ll become from 1 to 10 centimeters, we asked the experts for a breakdown using everyday objects. Below, Dr. Chuang offers a visual understanding of cervical dilation and an at-a-glance cervix dilation chart:

What’s Happening During Dilation?

Here’s exactly what’s happening at each centimeter of dilation—and what it feels like.

Early labor

During early labor, you might not even feel cervical dilation—instead, you’ll mainly notice mild, unpredictable contractions and/or lose your mucus plug.

• 1 centimeter dilated. In your third trimester, after baby has dropped, your cervix will slowly start to dilate. This is because baby begins to put pressure on the cervix, causing the body to prepare for labor. “The cervix starts out closed and eventually needs to open to 10 centimeters before baby can be delivered vaginally,” says Dr. Kathleen Green, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn with the Maven Clinic. You may not even know that this process has started, because even though your uterus is contracting, the contractions aren’t strong or consistent yet, so they can easily be brushed off as Braxton Hicks contractions.

• 2 centimeters dilated. At this point, you’re still so early in the dilation stage that you still may not know that it’s happening. You’ll be experiencing some contractions, which may start to feel a little stronger, but they’re still mild enough to be brushed off as Braxton Hicks. If you’re at the point of getting cervical checks, your provider will be able to measure the opening.

• 3 centimeters dilated. This is still fairly early in the dilation process, but you may start to notice your contractions becoming stronger and more consistent, according to Dr. Shannon Chatham, DO, a family medicine physician in Fort Worth, Texas, and medical director at Wisp.

• 4 centimeters dilated. By this point, your contractions will continue to become stronger and more consistent—you’ll likely notice them (rather than brushing them off as Braxton Hicks).

• 5 centimeters dilated. Baby is continuing to push down on your cervix, and you’re probably feeling the contractions by now, though depending on your pain tolerance, they could still feel somewhat mild. There’s unfortunately no way to predict how long it’ll take your body to go from 0 to 5 centimeters dilated. “The [early stage] can be a very long and unpredictable part of labor, especially with a first baby,” says Dr. Green. “Contractions may start and stop, or be irregular at first before gradually becoming stronger and more consistent.”

Active labor

Once the body moves into active labor, dilation will happen more predictably, “about 2 centimeters every 2 hours,” Dr. Chuang says.

• 6 centimeters dilated. Once you’ve reached 6 centimeters, you’re considered in active labor. You’ll notice your “contractions become stronger, longer and closer together” during this stage, Dr. Chatham explains.

• 7 centimeters dilated. “Cervical dilation is more efficient in this stage,” says Lucy Chapin, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife at Mad River Birth and Wellness in Vermont. Your contractions will continue to become stronger and closer together. If you’ve had an epidural, you’re probably not noticing much, but if you’re unmedicated, then you’re likely using alternative techniques to manage labor pain.

• 8 centimeters dilated. Baby is putting more and more pressure on your cervix, and your uterus continues to contract at this stage. You’re getting so close to delivery time, so you can expect powerful contractions.

• 9 centimeters dilated. Once you reach this point, Chapin says, “the cervix is paper thin” and almost fully open—delivery is coming any time now.

Delivery

You’re almost at the finish line! Here’s what happens with your cervix once you’re at the delivery stage.

• 10 centimeters dilated. It’s go time! You’ll feel pressure and an urge to push, and eventually baby will make their way out. After you’ve delivered, Chapin notes that “the cervix will then remain partially open as the placenta is delivered.”

When Does Cervical Dilation Start?

In many cases, your cervix will start to dilate in your third trimester, often weeks before your body is ready to deliver, notes the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

In fact, some women may experience cervical dilation without realizing it. So if your doctor says you’re 1 centimeter dilated at your 37-week checkup, don’t assume that baby’s arriving pronto. “I’ve seen patients become dilated about 3 or 4 centimeters without active labor,” says Dr. Nicole Williams, MD, an ob-gyn at The Gynecology Institute of Chicago. “They’re usually in their late third trimesters.”

Please note, however, that dilation before 37 weeks can be a sign of preterm labor. If you have regular contractions or tightening, pelvic pressure, a low dull backache, a change in discharge, leaking fluid or bleeding before 37 weeks, call your provider right away.

On the flip side, it’s also normal for the cervix not to be dilated at all before labor. So don’t worry if you’re 40 weeks along and still measuring at 0 centimeters; your body could still be preparing for labor and delivery in other ways. Cervical dilation is just one piece of the puzzle in the laboring process. “Dilation alone doesn’t really mean much until you’re in labor,” says Denae Ellson, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife in Edina, Minnesota. “When we do a cervical check, we’re looking at more than dilation. We’re looking at how soft it is, its position and how open it is.”

“I ended up having to be induced because I was past my due date, and my body seemed to be in no hurry to go into labor. I was 0 centimeters dilated before going into the hospital,” says Holly C., a mom of two in Raleigh, North Carolina.

What Are the Signs You’re Dilating?

The only way to know for sure that your cervix is dilating is through an exam that your provider will perform. However, there are some early signs that indicate your cervix is opening up.

• Loss of mucus plug
• Uterine contractions that gradually become stronger, longer and closer together - Pelvic pressure
• Bloody show

You won’t be able to feel the cervix opening, nurse-midwife Ellson says, but you’ll feel uterine contractions that work to stretch the cervix open. “As the uterus contracts, it pulls the cervix up slowly and steadily, which results in it opening wider,” she says. Just how painful these contractions are varies from woman to woman.

How to Check Cervix Dilation

If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy, your doctor or midwife will typically start routinely checking for dilation after the 39-week mark (but they may start checking earlier if you’re having any symptoms of possible early labor, such as contractions).

You’ll also be examined throughout your labor experience to see how things are progressing. You can expect to be checked by hand; practitioners are all trained to measure the opening of your cervix with their fingers, Dr. Williams explains. (You always have the right to decline a cervix exam. Your provider should then explain risks, benefits and other options to you.)

To check the cervix, Ellson says that “providers place two gloved, lubricated fingers into the vagina and reach up until their fingers can touch the cervix; then with the two fingers we measure how wide the opening is.” These exams aren’t typically painful, but they may be a bit uncomfortable.

Checking cervical dilation at home

Experts advise against checking cervical dilation at home. It comes with the risk of spreading bacteria to the area, which can cause infections and complications. What’s more, unless you have medical training, it’s hard to know exactly what you’re feeling for. It’s best to talk to your doctor or midwife before taking matters into your own hands, so to speak.

“Self-checking can lead to incorrect measurements and potential complications such as cervical bleeding and increase the risk of infection to baby,” Dr. Chuang says.

How to Dilate Your Cervix Faster

We get it—you’re eager to get this show on the road. Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot you can do on your own to make your cervix dilate faster. “The process is controlled by hormonal and muscular factors, and it progresses at its own pace,” Dr. Chuang says. What’s more, she notes, “There’s no set duration for how long you can stay dilated at a specific measurement.”

Still, while there’s no surefire way to expedite labor, nurse-midwife Ellson says there are a few steps you can take “to help tip the scales” and nudge things along. Some methods include:

• Gentle exercise. Try low-intensity exercise (which can include just going for a walk).
• Having sex. The idea is that when you have an orgasm, you release oxytocin, which can lead to contractions. That said, contractions will only happen when your body’s ready.
• Nipple stimulation. Like having sex, nipple stimulation triggers the release of oxytocin, which can stimulate the uterus and trigger contractions.
• Eating dates. Some evidence suggests eating dates while pregnant can help speed labor along.
• Using props as labor gets closer. Birthing and peanut balls can be very helpful in getting labor going.

“Women having babies for the first time tend to have slower and later dilation of cervix,” Dr. Chuang notes, adding that women who’ve previously given birth may have a dilated cervix as early as 37 weeks. But if you’re ever concerned about slow cervical dilation, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor.

Reasons Your Cervix Isn’t Dilating

If you’re approaching your due date (or are there already) and you don’t have a dilated cervix, the simple reality is that your body is just not in labor yet. Both Dr. Williams and nurse-midwife Ellson say that no one really knows what specifically triggers the body to go into labor or why the cervix doesn’t always dilate completely. Some possible explanations include:

• Having a posterior cervix
• Large fetal size
• Breech baby
• Weak contractions

If things aren’t happening naturally, your doctor may want to induce labor. Depending on the situation, they’ll likely start out conservatively with physical interventions like a manual membrane sweep, which helps naturally release prostaglandins to soften the cervix, Dr. Chuang notes. Or they may use a Foley catheter, which is essentially a balloon to help dilate the cervix.

There are also different medications that can help induce labor and expedite cervical dilation to varying degrees, including Pitocin (the artificial form of oxytocin). If none of these options get the cervix to fully dilate, Dr. Williams says a C-section may be necessary.

To Sum It Up

While cervical dilation is an important part of the laboring process, there are other pieces that have to fall into place for baby to arrive. So whether you’re walking around with a 2-centimeter dilated cervix for a week or feeling discouraged because you aren’t dilated at all as your due date approaches, try to relax and trust that your body will get there (eventually) and baby will come—one way or another. “There’s a huge range of normal when it comes to labor,” says Dr. Green. “We use dilation and all of these other numbers to help guide us, but at the end of the day, we’re taking care of Mom and baby—not just the number on a cervical exam.”

How We Developed This Article

Cervical dilation is a key part in your body preparing for labor, and we know how challenging it can be to wonder when it will happen or how far along you are. To help provide information and guidance on this topic, we spoke to three ob-gyns, a family medicine physician and two certified nurse-midwives. We also spoke to real-life moms to learn about their experiences with cervical dilation.

After editing, this article was vetted through fact-check and reviewed by our ob-gyn medical adviser. Learn more about how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.

About the author: Ashley Ziegler is a mom of two whose cervix wasn’t dilated at all before her water broke with her first baby. Then, she was around 2 centimeters dilated for weeks before her water broke with her second. She’s also an experienced health, pregnancy and parenting writer with work appearing in publications including Scary Mommy, Romper, Pregnancy & Newborn, Everyday Health and more.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.