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Cervical effacement

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Illustration of cervical effacement

Illustration copyright 2001 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com

As labor nears, the fetus's head drops down into the pelvis and pushes against the cervix. The cervix begins to thin (efface) and open (dilate), sometimes over a few weeks.

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Last Updated: 12/05/2007