Pregnancy is a very difficult period in the life of every woman. Even if pregnancy proceeds without complications, there are many factors that can contribute to the deterioration of a woman’s physical condition. During this period, dramatic changes occur throughout the body, and you need to be prepared for this, which is why a woman should know the nuances of pregnancy and prenatal preparation. Today we’ll talk about how to soften the cervix before childbirth and why it’s needed.
Preparing the cervix for childbirth
The mother's organs transform on their own for the upcoming birth of the child. At 39 weeks, signs of the cervix preparing for pregnancy sometimes do not appear. To prepare the dilatation of the cervix for these cases, special preparatory measures are required. This scenario is typical for the following cases:
- Post-maturity of the fetus in the womb;
- When the fetus begins to be born, the woman’s organs are not ready for maternity operations. Low elasticity predisposes the child and mother to injury;
- Due to medical necessity, the due date is artificially brought forward. Such measures are relevant in the presence of heart problems, gestosis, and signs of hypoxia in the fetus (oxygen starvation).
Traditional medicine methods
The use of any of the following methods should only be done after consulting with your doctor:
- raspberry leaf decoction
- primrose oil
- cinnamon powder decoction
These methods should be used no earlier than 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Under no circumstances should the following methods be used, because they are dangerous to the health of the pregnant woman and her baby:
- Enema
- taking hot water treatments
- sex
- excessive stress on the body, including physical
All this stimulates the dilatation of the cervix, but the consequences of what is happening can be far from positive. It is worth noting that regular visits to the doctor during pregnancy will reduce the risk of problems during this period to a minimum.
Ways to stimulate cervical ripening
Medical and folk helping methods are highlighted for the readiness of the cervix for the fetus to come out.
Medical methods include several options:
- Laminaria. The method involves introducing seaweed formed into a thin stick into the canal of the neck. Under the influence of high humidity of the organ, the organic material swells tens of times. The algae presses on the walls of the cervix, which brings the tissue to the required readiness. With such stimulation, pain appears below the navel, training contractions, and mucus discharge.
- A medical examination promotes the readiness of the canal, provoking expansion.
- Use of prostaglandin. This group of lipid physiologically active substances that regulate labor. In the mother's body, such substances can be released independently or introduced into the body artificially.
- Taking antispasmodics provokes softening of the tissues of the cervix. The use of such drugs and beta-blockers is rarely used in practice.
When is artificial induction of labor necessary?
After 40 weeks of pregnancy, the doctor may decide to induce labor due to the risk of aging of the placenta. The absolute indications are as follows:
- pregnancy poses a threat to the mother’s life;
- placental abruption;
- fetal hypoxia;
- contractions weakened during labor.
In other cases, the question of the need for stimulation is decided individually. There are several ways to solve the problem safely for the mother and fetus.
Drug stimulation
medicinal methods of stimulation help to provoke dilatation of the cervix:
- Laminaria are sticks made from seaweed. The device is inserted into the cervical canal, it swells under the influence of secretions. This process allows for expansion. Seaweed secretes prostaglandins, which ensure rapid maturation of the cervix of the reproductive organ.
- Synthetic prostaglandins . Substances in the form of suppositories, ointments or gels are injected into the cervical canal. The drugs significantly speed up labor by softening the cervix.
- Amniotomy . The manipulation consists of puncturing the amniotic sac to ensure the drainage of the anterior waters. Against this background, the fetus descends, putting pressure on the cervix. The woman must give birth on the day of the event. An ultrasound scan is required before the procedure.
The listed methods are used after 41 weeks of pregnancy, if the cervix does not begin to dilate. If cervical dilatation does not occur at 40 weeks, many gynecologists recommend that a woman use available methods to speed up labor.
How to dilate the cervix using traditional methods?
Among the popular options for influencing the cervix before childbirth is physical activity. An increase in muscle activity also stimulates modification of internal organs. This includes walking, climbing stairs, and other selected exercises.
Non-medicinal sexual intercourse is recommended starting from the 36th week of pregnancy. Doctors often recommend using this method in the last stages if an improper appearance of the cervical canal is detected. Male sperm contains prostaglandins, which stimulate tissue softening.
Another method is to sanitize (cleanse) the birth canal. If the test smear shows signs of dysbiosis, various infections or thrush, the doctor prescribes cleansing of the birth canal. This method also helps prevent the development of inflammatory infections and reduces the possibility of injury during childbirth. Also, this method will protect against possible infection getting into the tissues and organs of the child during the birth process.
The importance of the cervix in childbirth
The uterus is the central link in the female reproductive system, without which it is simply impossible to become pregnant and give birth to children. It consists of several components - the neck, bottom and body. It is the condition of the uterine cervix that determines how the process of bearing a child and his birth will proceed.
Visually, the cervix is a kind of tube that connects the uterine organ and vagina with the cervical canal located inside it. A healthy organ is characterized by an elastic consistency and a tightly closed cervical canal, thanks to which the fetus is securely held in the uterine cavity.
The opening of the cervix during childbirth is a normal phenomenon that allows the baby to be born. But in some cases, this symptom can also occur during pregnancy, which indicates the development of certain pathologies of the female reproductive system:
- cervical erosion;
- complex surgery, severe complications, rupture during a previous birth;
- isthmic-cervical disease;
- presence of miscarriages, history of abortions.
Regardless of the cause, premature dilatation of the uterine cervix poses a serious danger to the baby and often causes miscarriage or premature birth. The cervix should open immediately at the moment of birth.
Products for cervical ripening
In the last weeks of pregnancy, the mother is recommended to saturate her body with foods rich in fiber and fatty acids. For this purpose, taking one tablespoon of olive oil per day is suitable. The use of pumpkin seed oil is also recommended. For best results, taking honey diluted in a glass of water on an empty stomach is effective. Vegetables and fruits have a beneficial effect on the body.
How many days before giving birth should you think about the cervix? If the cervical tissue, due to a number of reasons, does not mature 2 weeks before the expected onset of labor, doctors advise the woman to take medications.
Preparations for cervical ripening before childbirth
In practice, prostaglandin analogs are used in the form of E1 misoprostol - Cytotec. It is an antiulcer and antisecretory drug. Prostaglandin E2 dinoprostone can be used. This product is available in gel form and stimulates labor. The effect of these drugs occurs within an hour after administration.
The negative side of the drugs is the high cost of the product. Both options are most often used by private organizations. And in government agencies, other methods are most often used.
The drugs are contraindicated on an individual basis. Allergic reactions to synthetic analogues of prostaglandins, including misoprostol, may occur. The drugs are also contraindicated in case of frequent contractions at intervals of every 5 minutes. In case of glaucoma, liver, gastrointestinal or kidney disease. Such drugs should not be used if deviations in fetal weight from the norm are suspected: less than 1.8 kg or more than 4.5 kg.
There is an opinion that such drugs can cause uterine rupture or cause premature hyperstimulation. When using the products, constant monitoring by medical staff is required.
Doctors use sinestrol, a synthetic drug with a similar degree of action to female sex hormones such as folliculin. The drug has side effects and provokes a long delay in the lactation period of up to 10 days.
Antispasmodics can relax the inner walls of the canal, increase elasticity and relieve tension. All listed remedies are prescribed only by the attending physician.
Suppositories are widely used to mature the uterine tract for the birth process. Such agents are quickly absorbed by the epithelium and do not irritate the body’s mucous membranes. Among them are: buscopan, colposeptin, and papaverine. Such drugs are inferior to other means for dilating the cervix in some cases.
Cervical ripening mifepristone
If the pregnancy is severe, the drug used in medical practice is mifepristone. Being a powerful steroid for inducing labor, it is used in emergency cases. These tablets are taken at a dosage of 200 mg once a day. After the second use of the product, a few days later the genital tract is examined again. Sometimes the product may not have an effect.
No-spa, which has an antispasmodic effect on the immature cervix, is popular. This remedy is not dangerous to the fetus, but some women suffer from hypersensitivity to the pills in the last week of pregnancy.
Thus, the supervising physician selects, based on individual requests, the required medicine: injections, suppositories or tablets.
How to expand the uterus before childbirth using other methods?
In addition to medications, acupuncture or massage treatments may be prescribed. If signs of softening are noticed at 38 weeks, such methods are often used. Such procedures enhance the ripening of the cervix before childbirth and improve the well-being of the fetus when it comes out.
A pregnant woman, a month before the birth of the child, use home methods for preparing the cervix, in consultation with a gynecologist.
In addition to regular sexual activity on the eve of childbirth, it is recommended to use evening primrose oil. Starting from the 36th week, take 1 capsule per day with treatment in the last weeks up to 2 capsules. This substance contains fatty acids.
A month before giving birth, a gentle massage near the nipples is allowed three times a day, for 5 minutes. When these organs are stimulated, a woman’s body produces oxytocin, which stimulates labor.
You can take decoctions of dried raspberry leaves. The berries are crushed and poured with a liter of water, brought to a boil. This remedy is taken 100 ml three times during meals.
The effect is exerted by a decoction of rose hips, strawberries and hawthorn, which can effectively accelerate the dilatation of the cervix.
Note that medications have a high level on the scale of influence on the body. Check with your personal doctor for remedies aimed at developing the mother’s cervix, including physical activity. At home, a pregnant woman uses folk remedies for developing cervical elasticity. At the same time, it is important to perform systematic physical activity, practice aerobics and control nutrition.
Video: preparing for an easy birth: behavior, breathing, cervical dilatation
PREPARING FOR AN EASY BIRTH: Behavior, breathing, cervical dilatation
Methods for softening the cervix before childbirth
If there is very little time left before childbirth, and examination of the cervix before childbirth reveals its immaturity, doctors prescribe common methods of preparing the uterus for labor. Such manipulations include the use of:
- non-medicinal drugs
- gel for the cervix before childbirth
- antispasmodics
- massage
- kelp, etc.
Pregnancy is a period in a woman’s life when independent decision-making about her condition is contraindicated. You shouldn’t think that you know better what to do during pregnancy, because no one but you can feel all the sensations.
You must understand that self-medication during this period can result in spontaneous abortion and even death for the mother.
Remember, you can take antispasmodics immediately before giving birth only if your doctor has prescribed such treatment for you. Among other things, the doctor may also prescribe the following medications:
- pills for the cervix before childbirth
- suppositories for softening the cervix before childbirth
- use of oxytocin
- special gels
The most common method to prepare the uterus for childbirth is to inject a hormone called Oxytocin. If the pregnancy proceeds without complications and the pregnant woman’s health is normal, this hormone is produced in the required quantity naturally. The process of its active development begins before and during labor.
Additional introduction of the hormone in question into the woman’s body is needed so that the uterus softens, opens and childbirth takes place without complications and difficulties, as well as injuries to the mother and child. In medical practice, for the purposes under consideration, special gels are also used by introducing them into the cervical canal.
- To keep the muscle muscles relaxed and the cervix to open at the right time, using a gel is an excellent and effective method.
- Tablets, as well as suppositories, are also often used in cases where the uterus is not softened, and labor should begin very soon. To prepare for childbirth in this way, the pregnant woman must undergo hospital treatment, because this type of treatment is contraindicated at home. Doctors can prescribe such drugs as early as 37 weeks of pregnancy.
- The most effective way to speed up the opening of the uterus and influence its softness is the use of kelp. Seaweed contains a large amount of polysaccharides. The main ability of such algae is to quickly absorb liquid, while increasing in size.
The effectiveness of such dried sticks is observed within four hours after their introduction into the cervical canal.
The main advantages of this method are:
- affordable price
- no side effects
- high efficiency of application
