Expert: Lawrence Jay Rappaport <B>M.D.</B> - 6/15/2005

Question
25 yrs old
0 children
10/01/04

I'm 36.5 weeks and I'm 70% effaced but only .5 cm dilated. What happens if my cervix effaces completely but I don't dilate? Will my water break then?

Answer
Your cervix can become 100% effaced and slowly dilate, or you can first efface and then start to dilate. You are half way there. If you start to have contractions that occur every 5 minutes (from the beginning of one to the beginning of the next ) and each lasts (remains hard) for at least 45 seconds, you should go to the hospital. Good luck. Don't worry. Your water may break at any time from now on. It is not dependent on your effacement or dilatation, but rather the pressure that is surrounding the sac.