Saturday, August 23, 2008

A close up look at your cervix

I am continually amazed that many women talk about a cervix, but don't know what it is. Some think that the perineum is the cervix. They talk about their cervix dilating from 0 to 10, yet they are not sure exactly where that part is - just "somewhere down there."

I will admit, I read about the cervix all the time once I started studying midwifery as a teenager, but I really had no idea what it looked like. People described it looking "like a donut," feeling "like the end of your nose..."

I was intrigued, but really I didn't have a good idea of what a normal, non-pregnant/laboring cervix was like until I watched a PAP smear being done. The Certified Nurse Midwife who I was working with at the time was more than happy to let me see and do everything she was doing, and the woman was extremely happy to let a student examine her cervix (I'm so grateful that some people like her don't mind!).

I hope that these pictures won't gross you out.... (okay, they are no worse than this picture below, except that they are in color!)

If you don't know what your cervix looks like, check out this daily "diary" of a cervix

here



You'll see the changes with the menstrual cycle and how different a cervix looks during menstruation vs. ovulation time.


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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 23, 2008 at 8:32 PM

    Wow. you know what? that was really awesome actually. thank you.

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  2. LaurelAugust 23, 2008 at 10:26 PM

    Wow. I'm so glad you posted that. Thanks!

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  3. DoulaMommaSeptember 3, 2008 at 12:30 PM

    Great post! Just wanted to let you know that I was inspired & linked to it here:
    http://doulamomma.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-beautiful-cervix.html

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  4. gods_blessing05January 7, 2009 at 1:08 PM

    Thanks for the chance to finally see what I have been taught about growing up. My Midwife said that the outside of my cervix is opened a little but the inside is still shut. I am only 33 weeks and 2 days. I hope my body can hold off a couple more weeks. Thanks again for this wonderful insight.

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  5. BrandiJanuary 20, 2009 at 11:14 PM

    Hi! I also have an article about the cervix on my blog (www.thebellybuttonconnection.blogspot.com). I'm always glad when I see people educating the woman on things we have heard about since birth but have no clue about. Be sure to check out my blog. Take care.

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  6. AnonymousNovember 18, 2009 at 2:49 AM

    It is certainly interesting for me to read this article. Thank author for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to this matter. I definitely want to read a bit more soon.

    ReplyDelete