Depending on the physiological state of the woman, the cervix stretches or shortens. At a time when conception is impossible, it feels hard and short. These days it is a bit difficult to reach it with your fingers as it rises to the top.
On the days of ovulation, on the contrary, the cervix drops down and swells. Therefore, it becomes soft and loose. At the same time, the depression in its center becomes deeper, and it is during this period that sperm can overcome the barrier of cervical mucus and fertilization will occur.
During pregnancy, the cervix rises high, becomes hard and closes. Therefore, during the examination, the doctor cannot reach the cervix with his fingers. In this regard, some women cannot feel their cervix when pregnancy occurs during a self-examination.
Based on these indicators, the onset of conception can be determined. During the examination, the gynecologist feels the cervix and presses with the other hand from above in order to determine some reflexes that confirm a change in the woman’s physiological status.
If you suspect pregnancy, it is not advisable to examine the cervix yourself, since this is a rather gross intervention in the body.
This can cause muscle contractions and lead to miscarriage. Even doctors during this period try to perform this manipulation a minimum number of times, touch the organ, insert and remove instruments into the genital tract. Therefore, to determine pregnancy, it is best to use a test and then confirm suspicions using an ultrasound examination.
Until 25 weeks of pregnancy, the cervix is normally long and firm. As a rule, its value is approximately 30 mm. Then, the length of the neck gradually begins to shorten. In pathological conditions, isthmic-cervical insufficiency (ICI) occurs.
It leads to shortening occurring at an earlier date. In this case, the cervix softens ahead of time. In this case, the child puts pressure on the cervix from the inside, and the loose tissue of the pregnant cervix may not support the weight of the child and dilatation will occur. Accordingly, this condition can easily lead to early labor.
With ICI, pregnant women experience pain in the lower abdomen and strong muscle tone is felt.
If you suspect untimely shortening of an organ during pregnancy, consult a doctor immediately!
When palpating the cervix, you should not insert foreign objects into the genital tract or touch it yourself. It is not advisable to fiddle with the organ, roughly palpate it, or climb inside with a mirror and other things. This can cause damage and injury to delicate tissues.
At first it is quite difficult to determine the consistency of the tissue and its height. With regular inspection, you can learn to establish these indicators quite easily.