Before the beginning of labor, the woman's body begins to be prepared. And the soft cervix of pregnancy testifies to readiness for childbirth.
Let's try to understand why the cervix becomes soft before delivery. This is due to an increase in the level of biologically active substances - prostaglandins. Due to their complex influence on various body systems, effective preparation for childbirth is provided.
Definition of "readiness" of the cervix for delivery
There is the term "mature cervix", which means the cervix is soft, shortened, the cervical canal is passed. To determine the willingness of the cervix to give birth, special tables, schemes are used. In them each indicator is estimated by a certain number of points. The doctor-gynecologist summarizes the result and receives the degree of readiness of the cervix. Depending on the data obtained, further tactics of labor management is chosen. The rapid onset of labor is indicated by a soft cervix located low, and at the same time shortened. These are the natural changes that occur in a healthy woman's body, without disturbing the hormonal balance.
In case the cervix is soft, but long, this indicates an incomplete readiness for childbirth. Also, the highly placed and soft cervix of the uterus does not indicate its full "maturity".
Willingness of the genitals is formed approximately 2 weeks before the birth. Therefore, the soft cervix of the uterus can be specified when the delivery begins.
Ways to prepare the cervix for labor
If the date of the expected delivery is approaching, and the cervix is still dense and without signs of softening, then special preparations are used. The task of such drugs is to prepare the birth canal for delivery in a natural way. In this case, drugs containing synthetic prostaglandins (Saitotec, Prepidil) are used. They are used in the form of vaginal gels or suppositories.
A cheaper and harmless remedy are sticks of kelp. They are inserted into the vagina. Due to mechanical action and stimulation of natural prostaglandin production, maturation of the cervix occurs more quickly.
If the cervix does not become soft and short, it significantly disrupts the mechanism of natural delivery. And if the therapy is ineffective, it is necessary to resort to a cesarean section.
If the soft cervix before birth indicates normal physiological processes in the woman's body, then softening and shortening of the cervix at earlier stages of pregnancy is a rather dangerous situation. In this case, the probability of abortion or premature birth is high.