How can I prepare the cervix for childbirth?

Preparing for childbirth is not only about buying cute baby clothes, equipping a bed for a baby and collecting bags in the maternity hospital. Preparation includes more large-scale events aimed at creating the right psychological attitude to give birth without fear and pain, to physical fitness of all muscle groups.

Separately pay attention to the preparation for the birth of the cervix, because it depends on her how quickly and easily the baby will be born. In this article we will explain why the cervix is ​​immature and how you can prepare it for the birth process.

During the entire period of pregnancy, the cervix plays the role of a “locking device” tightly covering the uterine cavity. The uterus is a bag-shaped organ, tapering just in the area of ​​the isthmus.

The neck is a circular muscle, inside it there is a cervical canal, while the baby is carrying it is securely closed with a lump of mucus (the so-called mucus plug). Such safety measures are taken by nature itself in order to prevent the child from growing, developing, infections, microbes, viruses into the uterine cavity, where the child grows and develops. An almost sterile environment is formed inside the uterus.

As we approach delivery, the body, under the influence of hormonal changes, starts in the reproductive female organ, which serves as a cozy house for the baby, a chain of important processes.

Uterine tissue begins to lose excess, excess nerve fibers, so that painful sensations during childbirth are naturally reduced. In the cells of the uterine tissue, actomyosin protein is produced, which will provide them with contractility.

The placenta and the pituitary of the expectant mother begin to produce oxytocin, a hormone that, after accumulation in maximum concentration, leads to the onset of full labor contractions.

The cervix also begins to prepare. It will be assigned the main role - the disclosure of up to 10-12 centimeters. After the neck opens, the attempts will begin and the baby will be born.

Usually the process of maturation starts in the second half of the third trimester, it goes very gradually. At 38-39 weeks and at 39-40 weeks the degree of maturity is assessed - cervical readiness for childbirth. Mature is the neck, which is shortened to 1-1.5 centimeters, enough softened in order to open up normally when full labor contractions begin.

If a woman shortly before the expected date of birth hears from the doctor that her neck is not ready for disclosure, “has not matured”, there is not only the question of how to “ripen it - and it is desirable to do it quickly”, but also quite reasonable question - why others the cervix is ​​already mature, and in this case maturation does not meet the standards.

A cervix is ​​considered immature, its length at 38-39 weeks of gestation is 2.5-3 centimeters or more, the neck texture is dense, no softening occurs, the cervical canal is closed, the neck of the obstetrician does not let the cervix pass.The external pharynx when not ready for childbirth is located not in the central part, but is shifted up or back. All these signs can be easily established by the doctor in the antenatal clinic where the woman comes to the scheduled appointment. For this, he will need to carry out a vaginal gynecological examination with his hands and mirrors.

The reasons why the cervix is ​​not preparing for the upcoming disclosure may be different:

• various nervous factors (stress, fears, anxiety, unfavorable psychological and social environment in which pregnancy proceeds, unwillingness to give birth for some personal reasons);
• endocrine disorders (high progesterone synthesis in the body, low levels of estrogen, oxytocin, some abnormalities in the thyroid gland);
• some abnormalities of the structure of the uterus, cervix, genital tract;
• inflammatory process in the genital tract, ascending infection;
• excessive stretching of the neck due to numerous previous births, the presence of scars on the neck due to its generic tears in previous births;
• a history of abortions and medical curettage, any intrauterine manipulations that required artificial expansion of the cervix to introduce instruments;
• idiopathic (unexplained) causes.

Particularly prone to violations of the processes of ripening of the cervix of a woman with obesity, preeclampsia, pregnant with uterine myoma. Pathologically slowly, the cervix ripens when carrying a large fetus, as well as diagnosed polyhydramnios.

Women who have a sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy, do not engage in feasible and permitted sports, do not do gymnastics to strengthen the perineum, refrain from sexual contact with a partner, usually more often among those who have problems with the maturation of the cervix.

To help soften and prepare the neck at home, a woman needs to master a simple but very effective set of exercises developed by obstetrician Kegel. The gymnastics of his name is allowed to most pregnant women already at the end of the first trimester, when the highest risks not to bear the baby are over.

It is very convenient to do it - it can be done anywhere and at any time, because most effective exercises can be performed completely unnoticed by others - while watching a movie, in transport, in the kitchen while cooking dinner.

Kegel gymnastics will help not only prepare the cervix for childbirth, but also make the muscles of the perineum and the birth canal more elastic, which will minimize the likelihood of tears in labor and the need for cuts.

What exercises need to pay attention to:

• alternately tightening and relaxing the vaginal and anal sphincter muscles;
• compression and relaxation of the vagina at different speeds;
• deep calm breaths, combined with strong contraction and exhalation with the gradual relaxation of the muscles of the birth canal;
• rises and circular rotation of the pelvis from a supine position on the floor, on the fitball;
• keeping the vaginal muscles clamped for as long as possible.

In addition to the obvious advantages for the preparation of the birth canal, a woman after a few weeks of such studies will draw attention to the fact that sex has become more vibrant, the sensations from her and her partner have increased.

Together with the massage in the complex, massage of the external genital organs should be done. For him, you need to allocate only five minutes a day. Movement should be done with an open palm and fingertips, a manicure is better to pre-cut. For massage, you can use neutral oils, for example, intimate oil to prepare for the birth of Weleda.

Medications to soften and shorten the cervix is ​​chosen by the doctor. If it is a matter of excessive overstrain of the round muscle, then antispasmodic drugs are prescribed, for example “No-Shpu”. Usually a two-week intake of an antispasmodic in tablets helps to soften the cervix, if this does not help, the drug is administered in injections already in the maternity hospital.

Almost all medical techniques to prepare the cervix for childbirth are applied under the supervision of a doctor in a hospital. The only exceptions are the already mentioned “No-Shpa”, candles “Buscopan” and “Papaverine”. In the hospital, hormonal preparations in the form of gels can be used to stimulate cervical ripening, injecting hormones. Estrogens and prostaglandins are used for preparation.

Quite popular method of quick preparation of the neck are kelp. Seaweed is sold in pharmacies in the form of very thin sticks. After the doctor inserts such a wand into the cervical canal, the algae begin to swell, expanding the cervix from the inside.

Women at the same time note some unpleasant sensations, drawing pain of a moderate nature and increased vaginal discharge.

There is a popular belief that it is best to prepare a neck for childbirth using regular sex.

There is some truth in this, because sperm contains prostaglandins, which also have a softening effect on the round muscle in the lower segment of the uterus. But late sex is not allowed for all pregnant women. Be sure to discuss with the doctor this option of "treatment". And it is certainly not worth having sex if the amniotic fluid began to leak or is suspected, and also after the start of the discharge of the mucous plug.

Among other methods, great-grandmothers recommended paying attention to dogrose. Its fruits are very useful for the future mother, including for the approach of childbirth. Water decoction is made from dried rosehips and is taken first, 50 ml fasting daily, and then 100-150 ml once a day.

Traditional medicine also recommends that women drink water infusion of raspberry leaves and strawberry fruit and leaves. Evening primrose oil helps.

It is also useful movement - you can walk up and down the stairs (if there is no symphysite), you can continue to do yoga, practice breathing exercises, every day as much as you can walk on foot in the fresh air.

Domestic household work (naturally, feasible and reasonable) also facilitates the process of cervical dilatation.

Women who are faced with the need to help their own body to prepare for childbirth, argue that it helps a special diet - meat is limited to two times a week, it is replaced by fish dishes. Women recommend such a diet to begin to adhere to at least a month before the expected date of delivery.

Among the recommendations that women in labor give each other on thematic forums on the Internet are tips to collect matches from the floor in a squatting position, wash floors with hands, make a warm shower for the back and lower back, take a tablespoon of vegetable oil on an empty stomach in the morning.

A woman cannot check the cervical readiness on her own, but often pregnant women do a so-called mamma test for readiness in later periods. It will take hours and a convenient place for a comfortable lying. A woman stimulates the nipples for a minute every three minutes. If from the beginning of such stimulation within 10 minutes the uterus is tensed (slightly "petrified") at least three times, they speak of a positive mammar test, that is, the birth is not far off.

On the preparation of the cervix and the degrees of its maturity tells a specialist in the next video.