What Does a Soft Cervix Mean?

During pregnancy, there is a lot of symptoms and terms you’ll need to learn about. Not only will this help you become fully knowledgeable about your pregnancy and the health of your baby, but it will also help you know about what you can do to keep you and your child safe. You might have learned about having a soft cervix from your doctor. But what does a soft cervix mean?

If you’re wondering what a soft cervix means and what its root causes are, then read on as I talk about soft cervixes and how it may affect your pregnancy.

What is a Cervix?

Via webmd.com

The cervix is your uterus neck, extending to your vaginal. It’s a narrow tube that stays open with a size significant enough to let sperms inside your uterus. It’s also for letting blood flow out while you are menstruating. And yes, your cervix is where your child will leave from your womb.

But before birth, your cervix will be sealed from a mucus plug. This prevents your baby from leaving your womb. But as your pregnancy progresses, the cervix begins to change and get ready for childbirth. It can change in various ways, from its texture down to its position. But how do all those have to do with your pregnancy?

What Does a Soft Cervix Mean?

Just like what I mentioned, your cervix begins to change as you progress during your pregnancy.

Once you are pregnant, your cervix is firm and closed. It points at the back of your vaginal. It seals off any opening, with the use of a mucus plus. While it protects the baby from going out of your uterus, its primary purpose is to keep it away from bacteria.

But a little bleeding during your pregnancy (such as discharge) is normal because of the blood vessels. It’s also normal during sex.

As you move forward towards pregnancy, your cervix begins to shift forward, going to the front of your vaginal. During the final weeks before childbirth, your cervix becomes softer and widens. This happens because of your cervix getting ready to push your baby out of your womb.

So yes, your soft cervix means that you’re getting ready for childbirth and letting your little one into the world. A soft cervix means it’s wide and open. But it isn’t only right before childbirth that you experience a soft cervix! You can experience it during the following stages of your pregnancy (source):

• checkOvulation : When you begin to ovulate, your cervix becomes a bit softer, dilating and becoming more hydrated to get ready for sperms to enter into your uterus for conception.
• checkFirst Few Months of Pregnancy : Your cervix is a bit comparable to ripe fruit but tends to soften after your first trimester.
• checkPre-Labor : Before you’re ready to give birth, you may have noticed your cervix becomes even softer. Your cervix must be dilated to at least 10 centimeters before you give birth so your baby can pass through its canal. If not, then it will be difficult to give birth.

Depending on the woman, she may or may not experience any pain as their cervixes soften. You call these contractions, which would usually last for less than a minute for every three to five minutes.

How to Check the Softness of My Cervix?

Via verywellfamily.com

You can check your cervix with or without a doctor by following these steps (source):

• Wash your hands to avoid spreading bacteria into your cervix. Position yourself on a toilet or bathtub.
• checkFind your cervix with your fingers, behind your vaginal cavity. It feels spongy and a bit firm, similar to your nose.
• checkPut your middle finger in the vaginal cavity, reaching backward. You will then feel its texture to see if it’s firm or soft. The cervix is easier to find if you aren’t ovulating.
• checkYou will need to check your cervix at least once a day to feel any changes. Track your shifts in a notebook and make sure that if you spot any drastic change, consult a doctor.

You can use the cervix check to see if you are ovulating or expecting your period. Here’s a video explaining how you can check your cervix:

Conclusion

When it comes to being pregnant, it’s crucial to learn all about pregnancy and how even the little things can affect you and your baby. You’ll always need to check your cervix to make sure that it’s only soft during your third trimester to make sure that you’re ready for birth.

I hope that this article answers your question, “What does a soft cervix mean?” Now that you know about your cervix and how to check it, you don’t need to worry about your body’s changes during your pregnancy.

If you have any questions regarding your cervix or would like to share your experiences on having a soft cervix, then comment down below. I would love to hear what you have to think.

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