How long is the cervix?

Women during pregnancy are very worried about when they will give birth. Many people don't know the time, and even doctors can only roughly estimate the time. But if you want to know how long it will take for the baby in your belly to come out, you can actually determine it by observing the length of the cervix. But this is also a more complicated matter. You need to determine the time by looking at the length of the cervix. If you are not sure how much the length of the cervix indicates that the baby will be born, then you can learn the following methods.

How long will it take for the cervix to disappear?

The cervical canal is about 2 cm long before delivery. After delivery, the internal cervical os expands upward and outward, and the cervical canal forms a funnel shape. Then the cervical canal gradually shortens until it disappears and becomes part of the lower segment of the uterus. In primiparas, the cervical canal usually disappears first, and the external cervical os dilates later; in multiparas, the cervical canal usually disappears and the external cervical os dilates at the same time.

As the pregnant uterus grows, the cervical canal will gradually enlarge, forming the lower segment of the uterus and a soft birth canal. Generally, cervical dilation will accelerate after uterine contractions. The originally soft and hard cervix can gradually soften and disappear until the cervix dilates under the stimulation of uterine contractions and the pressure of the presenting fetal head. If it is the first birth, the labor process is usually very slow. How long it takes for the cervical canal to disappear varies from person to person. For some people, it takes a long time, while for others, it disappears very quickly. To relax, you can listen to some light music. The disappearance of the cervical canal is a precursor to imminent delivery. It is recommended that you seek medical attention immediately and wait for delivery. Regular uterine contractions, blood loss, and the disappearance of the cervical canal all indicate that delivery is imminent.

What is the function of the cervical canal

The mucosa of the cervical canal is composed of an intricate system of crypts. When the sperm enters the female vagina and goes on the difficult journey to "meet" the egg, the crypt system of the cervical canal is like a "gas station" that regulates energy and increases nutrients. The cervical mucus serves the sperm in every possible way: first, the cervical mucus becomes thinner and more abundant during ovulation, allowing sperm to enter smoothly; and after ovulation, it becomes thicker and less in quantity, making it difficult for sperm to pass through. It plays the role of eliminating the inferior and retaining the superior. Finally, cervical mucus is also rich in nutrients such as glucose, vitamins and salt, which continuously "refuel" the sperm and provide energy for their advancement.

What diseases can be caused by a bad cervical canal? The main clinical manifestations are cervical canal occlusion and stenosis, cervical canal dysplasia, abnormal cervical canal position, cervical fibroids, chronic cervicitis, abnormal cervical mucus, etc. Due to different degrees of inflammatory stimulation, the columnar epithelium of the cervical mucosa grows slowly, the epithelium is flat and the surface is smooth, which is simple erosion; the columnar epithelium grows quickly and forms glandular hyperplasia, which is adenoid erosion. If the glands are dilated, it may be a follicular erosion, accompanied by stromal hyperplasia, forming small protrusions, which are unevenly covered with columnar epithelium, forming papillary erosions. The above types can often occur in combination.