Measuring a dilated cervix: how many fingers?

At the end of your pregnancy, your cervix opens to let the baby through. How is cervical dilation measured?

• The cervix closes completely during pregnancy to protect the fetus.
• At the time of birth, it opens about 1 cm, then gradually dilates due to contractions.
• Monitoring the opening of the cervix is therefore essential during delivery.
• The midwife measures the dilation of the cervix by performing a painless vaginal examination and counts 1 cm per finger.
• When the open cervix reaches 10 cm, the way is clear for the baby!