your cervix becomes thinner and softer in a process called effacement that helps the cervix open during childbirth. Your doctor will monitor the progress of your pregnancy with regular exams, especially as you near your due date.
The mother will make her second prenatal doctor visit between weeks 12 and 16 of her pregnancy. At this visit, her Ob/Gyn may perform an ultrasound to look at the baby. Sometimes the doctor can determine the sex during this visit. The doctor will probably also measure the fundus -- the...
How to induce labor How your provider induces labor depends in large part on your cervical dilation and effacement at the time. If your cervix hasn't started efface (become softer and thinner) or dilate (open), it's considered "unripe," which means you're not yet ready for labor. Your...