Effacement as indication of imending labor?

[Anonymous]

I am 36 weeks and 80% effaced, but only a fingertip (not sure how many cn that is) dilated. Does this mean I'll give birth early? I was told - not by a dr - that effacement is a better indication of early labor than dilation bc it takes longer to be effaced than dilated, which can happen in a few hours.

Any experience with this?

[Anonymous]

no, I was 2 cm and over 50% both times and both kids came on their due dates-well one two days before but. You never really know.

[Anonymous]

sorry pp here-forgot to say at 36 weeks..good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

there is imending labor for sure , but no one knows what causes labor to actually begin, or when it is going to happen.

[Anonymous]

I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced at 37 weeks...by 40 weeks, I was 5 cm dilated and completely effaced. Did not deliver until 41 weeks!

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that a fingertip is 1 cm dialated

[Anonymous]

I walked around 2 cm dialated and 50% effaced from 38-41 weeks.

Sorry. But it will happen!

[Anonymous]

Effacement and dilation mean absolutely nothing about when you will go into labor. You can be "high and tight" one day and pushing out your baby the next. Conversely, you can be 3 cm and totally effaced for weeks at a time. But don't underestimate the emotional impact of knowing that "nothing is happening." It can make you feel like you're failing at birth before anything has even happened. My approach was to refuse vaginal exams since they didn't really tell me anything, introduced the risk of infection or my amniotic sac accidentally being broken by the doc, and made me really stressed out. Good luck. Your baby will come. In his own time. FYI, average first time mom goes into labor 8 days past her "due date."