Pregnant Cervix

Pregnant Cervix

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What Does My Cervix Look and Feel Like During Pregnancy?

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So you’ve started reading about what happens to your body when you’re pregnant.
Perhaps you’re already pregnant, and you’ve been to an appointment or two and people keep talking to you about your cervix.
You may wonder what it looks like or feels like and want to try and find it yourself.
The cervix is the ‘neck’ of your uterus; it’s a narrow passage located right at the bottom of the uterus, connecting with the top of the wall of the vagina.
When you give birth vaginally, your cervix thins and opens to allow your baby to move down and out.
This process of thinning and opening is often called ‘effacing and dilating’.
Don’t worry if you don’t know much about your cervix. Most of us don’t have much reason to think about it until we’re pregnant!
But it’s useful to arm yourself with a little knowledge so that you can understand the changes that take place — and so you know what your obstetrician or midwife is talking about.
When you’re not pregnant, your cervix is usually pink, about 4-5 cm long, with walls about 1 cm thick and a very, very narrow passageway in the middle.
The top end of the cervix connects with the bottom of the uterus, and bottom end of the cervix protrudes about 1 inch into the vagina.
It looks a bit like a rubber ring or donut.
The way it feels when you’re not pregnant can change depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle.
Sometimes it feels low, firm, tightly closed and relatively dry; and at other times (particularly during ovulation, when you’re most fertile) it might feel higher up in your vagina, softer, more wet, and a little more open.
During pregnancy, your levels of a hormone called estrogen rise quickly, and your body directs more blood to your cervix and pelvis to support your growing baby and prepare for birth.
This makes the surface softer and it might feel a bit like velvet if you touch it. It gets a little wider and rises higher up in the vagina.
That very narrow passageway in the cervix is often called the cervical canal. In very early pregnancy, glands in the cervix release a thick mucus which becomes a ‘plug’ for the cervical canal, preventing any bacteria getting up into the uterus.
This stops your growing fetus from picking up any infections.
That mucus plug stays there right until the end of your pregnancy.
In fact, many women say that the first sign they had that they were going into labor was when their plug came out into their underwear or on toilet paper; this is often called a ‘show’ or ‘bloody show’.
Not everyone notices it, though — it sometimes happens slowly over a period of a couple of weeks, rather than all at once.
Yes, you can. Before I tell you how to do this, there are two important things to note:
You don’t want to get any dirt or bacteria up in your vagina when you’re pregnant (or at any time, really). So before you start, wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and dry them completely.
Also, resist the temptation to do this too often — especially once you know you’re pregnant.
There’s no need, and it could do more harm than good.
2. Feeling your cervix cannot tell you whether you’re pregnant or not.
Although your cervix will go through changes in pregnancy, these changes happen at different times for different women — and how your cervix feels when you’re pregnant might not be the same as the next woman’s.
So if you want to feel your cervix to figure out whether you’re pregnant or not, stop.
Go to the pharmacy and pick up a home pregnancy test (or ten…we know how it is), and wait until the day your period is due before you test.
That said, if you’re interested in getting to know your cervix, here’s how:
As well as being higher or lower in the vagina, the position of your cervix can change from being further back to further forward during pregnancy.
There’s no need to think about the position of your cervix in early pregnancy, but it does become more important as you move closer to birth.
For your baby to move into the cervical canal and out of your vagina, the cervix needs to be forwards — if it’s too far back, the baby’s head may be behind the cervix and then it won’t be able to move down.
That’s why your doctor or midwife might check the position of your cervix when you’re in the final weeks of pregnancy.
But there’s nothing you can do to change the position of your cervix. And it can move into the right position at any time — just because it’s too far back when you’re 38 weeks pregnant does not mean that your body won’t shift things around as you prepare to give birth.
And if your cervix is still far back when you’re in labor your obgyn or midwife may pull it forwards.
This is a bit uncomfortable (I’ve had it done twice) but it’s over quickly and any discomfort passes quickly, so there’s no need to be worried about it.
As the time to push (or breathe) your baby out gets closer, your cervix will begin to thin (efface) and soften. You might feel some twinges in your cervix at this time. It can range from a barely noticeable tugging feeling, to a sharp pain.
One woman’s cervix might start to efface weeks before birth, and another woman’s cervix might start to efface only hours before birth.
As well as feeling softer, the cervix sometimes changes color in the late stages of pregnancy, becoming blue or pale purple as your body sends even more blood to circulate in the area.
You probably won’t see this yourself, but if your doctor or midwife looks at your cervix with a speculum, they’ll be able to see the color.
Strangely enough for most women there’s little if any sensation when your cervix dilates during in labor. You’ll certainly feel your contractions, usually in your lower back and/or your stomach, but the dilating not so much.
You’ll feel pressure in that region and a baring down sensation but that is more to do with baby’s head moving down rather than the actual process of dilation.
If you have any questions or worries about your cervix, always talk to your doctor or midwife. We know it can feel strange to ask questions about the inside of your vagina — but your doctor’s job is to look after you and help you make informed choices the whole way through your pregnancy and labor.
They’ll be experts in how cervixes look and feel at different stages of pregnancy, so be reassured that any questions you have about yours will not come as a surprise.

Pregged.com's Feature Editor is a dedicated Mom of 3, pregnancy geek, giver of hugs and a great listener.

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What Having a Short Cervix During Pregnancy Means

In this Article

What does a “short cervix” mean?

What causes a short cervix?

Short cervix symptoms

Possible complications

Short cervix diagnosis

How to manage a short cervix

Updated on February 23, 2021

Yvonne Butler Tobah, “Cervical Length: Why Does It Matter during Pregnancy?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 28 Apr. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/cervical-length/faq-20058357.

Withanawasam, Neoma, and Sanyogita Tara. “The shortened cervix in pregnancy: Investigation and current management recommendations for primary caregivers.” Australian journal of general practice vol. 48,3 (2019): 121-123. doi:10.31128/AJGP-09-18-4708

“Incompetent Cervix.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 25 July 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/incompetent-cervix/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373842.

“Antenatal Corticosteroid Therapy for Fetal Maturation.” ACOG, August 2017, www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2017/08/antenatal-corticosteroid-therapy-for-fetal-maturation.

“Incompetent Cervix.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 25 July 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/incompetent-cervix/symptoms-causes/syc-20373836.

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The cervix is the cylindrical part of the uterus that connects the uterus to the vagina. Before pregnancy, the cervix is closed, long, and firm. Its main role is to secrete fluids that help sperm travel from the vaginal canal to the uterus.
The cervix is typically around 3–5 centimeters long and gradually shortens during pregnancy. However, sometimes the cervix is shorter than average, which may cause issues during pregnancy.
The cervix has an internal and an external opening (also called the internal os and external os). The internal os opens into the uterus, and the external os opens into the vagina. During pregnancy, the cervical ossa close to keep the fetus in the uterus and then open when it’s time for delivery .
Over the course of a pregnancy, the cervix shortens and becomes softer to make delivery possible. Some people naturally have a shorter cervix. As their cervix shortens throughout their pregnancy, it may become too short too soon, which increases the risk of preterm labor and premature birth. A short cervix is less than 25 millimeters in length at 18–24 weeks’ gestation. Health care providers measure the length of the cervix with an ultrasound scan.
The main cause for a short cervix during pregnancy is an insufficient or incompetent cervix. During pregnancy, the baby grows and becomes heavier, pressing on the cervix. If the cervix is short, the pressure from the baby may cause it to open before the baby is ready to be born. This condition is known as an insufficient or incompetent cervix.
Most pregnancy losses in the first trimester are due to chromosomal abnormalities, but an incompetent cervix is the cause of many losses during the second trimester. Insufficient cervix is not very common, however. Only one in 100 pregnancies might result in an incompetent cervix.
In addition to a short cervix, one or more of the following conditions might lead to an insufficient cervix:
Although often asymptomatic, some mild short cervix symptoms are possible. The symptoms usually appear between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy and include:
When the cervix is short, the risk of premature labor and pregnancy loss rises. This is because the cervix might not stay closed for as long as it’s supposed to during pregnancy. Those with a short cervix during pregnancy are more likely to have preterm labor than those with a longer and thicker cervix.
There is treatment for a short cervix. Health care providers may recommend a few different methods to help avoid premature birth. Regular prenatal care makes it possible for a health care provider to discover and treat issues associated with a short cervix in a timely manner.
A short cervix can only be detected during pregnancy. A short cervix can’t be diagnosed by a manual exam, but a physical exam can help the health care provider see if the amniotic sac has begun to protrude through the opening (prolapsed fetal membranes). A transvaginal ultrasound is the most reliable way to diagnose a short cervix.
During an ultrasound, a health care provider will measure the cervical length. In a typical pregnancy, the cervix is usually between 3–5 centimeters long (30 to 50 millimeters). The risk of premature birth is greatest when the cervix is less than 2.5 centimeters long. Early detection of a short cervix during pregnancy can help prevent preterm birth and begin treatment before it causes any complications.
The risk of premature birth and pregnancy loss due to a short cervix can be concerning.
There are ways to manage the risk of a short cervix and prolong the pregnancy. Treatment for a short cervix includes:
If the diagnosis of a short cervix is made, betamethasone may be used between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation to improve newborn outcomes. Strict bed rest may be recommended as a precautionary measure.
Health care providers will generally also suggest regular monitoring and a consultation with a physician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. In this way, any issues with a short cervix during pregnancy can be found and treated early.

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Your cervix is a small canal that connects your uterus and vagina. It allows fluids to leave and enter your uterus. During childbirth, your cervix widens so that a baby can be born. Your cervix is also vulnerable to HPV infe
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