About this important part of our reproductive system - the cervix - women are often vague ideas. How to take care of such an important reproductive organs. About this in our article
Uterus - a hollow muscular organ of the female reproductive system, located in the pelvic cavity. It is pear-shaped and anatomically divided into three sections: the bottom - the upper part of the body - the middle part and the cervix - the narrow lower part. The cervix is the link between the internal sexual organs and the "outside world". The functions that it performs, are important for maintaining health in general and for the favorable course of pregnancy.
The structure of the uterus
Cervix resembles a cylinder, 3-6 cm long. Inside it passes cervical canal opens at the top into the uterine cavity (internal os) at the bottom and into the vagina (outer mouth). It distinguishes two parts: available vaginal examination supravaginal portion and, in the pelvic cavity.
At the neck - a wide range of "duty." She…
- It protects the organism against pathogens;
- participates in the conception and development of a new life: through it penetrate into the uterus sperm to fertilize an egg and mucus produced in the cervix contributes to their promotion;
- securely holds the baby in the womb, protects it from the adverse effects from the outside by means of a dense mucus plug;
- directly during childbirth itself is expanded and becomes a part of the birth canal, through which passes and child.
What happens to the uterus before and after childbirth: what needs survey / pixabay.com
As the doctor checks the condition of the uterus?
To assess the state of the cervix there are many methods of examination. It sure will be watching during pregnancy, but the check is, of course, preferably at the planning stage.
- First examine the cervix using a speculum: it will allow to evaluate the color vaginal mucosa neck portion, its surface and the state of the external os, character selections. Even during this examination can detect inflammation, impaired surface epithelial integrity, cysts, neoplasms, deformation.
- The next step is smears on flora and cytology, cervical and cervical canal of a surface for diagnosis, determination of the causative agent and the possible presence of atypical cells.
- For a more detailed inspection povehnosti cervical colposcopy may conduct a study on the presence of pathological changes. They do it with this machine, which works on the principle of the microscope. Colposcopy routinely used in the examination and with suspected disease.
- Cervimeter (cervical ultrasound) expectant mothers tend to do with a planned screening in the second trimester. The specialist determines the length of the neck, the state of the cervical canal. These data allow us to identify and minimize the risk of premature birth.
What happens to the uterus before and after childbirth: what needs survey / pixabay.com
How does the uterus in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy
As with all reproductive organs in the cervix is changing under the influence of hormones. Color changes of the mucous covering the surface of the neck, with pink to bluish due to increase in the lumen of blood vessels. She softened and shifted lower with respect to its normal position, the cervical canal is reduced in diameter and is filled with a mucous plug. Gradual shortening of the cervix continues throughout pregnancy:
- at 16-20 weeks neck length is 40-45 mm;
- 25-28 weeks - 35-38 mm;
- in weeks 32-36 - 30-35 mm. Mucous plug moves in a couple of weeks before the birth, but it can also directly in front of them.
What happens to the uterus before birth?
- With the development of labor shortened cervix, cervical canal rakryvaetsya. At first birth begins with the opening of the external os, passing on the inside. In repeated outer and inner jaws otkryvayutvsya simultaneously.
- Process disclosure goes very slowly, taking several hours. The pace is not at all the same: if nulliparous women - is 1 cm per hour, the rate is higher in multiparous - 2 cm per hour.
- At the time when the child has to go down into the pelvis (2 nd stage of labor) cervix is fully smoothed, its edges are determined and opening it is 10 cm. So the baby can already freely pass through the birth canal.
Immediately begins the process of formation of the neck after birth due to uterine contractions. It lengthens, thickens back to their original size. By the third week post-partum period is closed the outer mouth. Moreover, women who gave birth for the first time, changing its shape - a point on the slit-like.
What happens to the uterus before and after childbirth: what needs survey / pixabay.com
Survey after childbirth
Inspection after delivery absolutely mandatory for all. Regardless of how the past childbirth or as they were in a row. It is held with the help of speculum and to avoid severe complications caused by injuries during childbirth.
Not stitched breaks can lead to high blood loss, inflammatory complications in the postpartum period, dangerous cervical strain. But all this has a negative effect on women's health in general, and in addition may break its ability to conceive and nurturing.
Also you will be interested to read this: a woman with two queens gave birth to twins
