to dilate. Cervical incompetence or weakness describes the situation whereby the cervix dilates without any contractions. This results in either miscarriage during the middle trimester (12 to 24 weeks), or in your baby being born very prematurely. What

Midwife Nikki replies:There are several possible reasons why the cervix is slow to dilate or stops dilating. It's often due to weak contractions. If that's the case, a hormone drip can sometimes strengthen their intensity. It can also be due to a

The early phase of labour, when the cervix is less than 3cm dilated, can be very slow. But dilation isn't everything.'The cervix both opens and becomes paper-thin. You may have gone from having a relly thick cervix to a really thin one, so even

So when Beth gave birth to baby Logan on October 1, 2008 he really was a miracle baby.Born by C-section at 39 weeks and 3 days, Logan weighed in at a very healthy 6lb 15oz (3.14kg).Beth had previously undergone several surgical procedures

Most women's waters break at the end of the first stage of labour, when the cervix (neck of the womb) is almost fully dilated. But for around 15% of pregnancies, breaking waters is the first sign of labour.It can be a gush of up to a litre or just a

level of amniotic fluid, whereas the reverse is true for the recipient twin.The excess fluid in the recipient twin is called polyhydramnios and can lead to discomfort for the pregnant mother. Pressure on the cervix can lead to ruptured membranes

your cervix. This also stimulates the natural hormones that trigger contractions. This can be done by your midwife at your 41-weel appointment.If labour doesn't start within a few days, you'll be booked into hospital. There, a prostaglandin pessary gel

after 13 weeks of pregnancy. If it does occur, it could be caused by cervical erosion, where the cervix becomes fragile, sometimes resulting in bleeding after sex.‘This is due to the extra oestrogen produced during pregnancy, and isn’t the slightest bit

of the cervix. Placenta praevia usually leads to recurrent painless bleeds from around 32 weeks onwards. It occurs in about 1 in 200 pregnancies, and is more common with twin pregnancies, increasing maternal age and previous caesarean section. The diagnosis

Babies born before 37 weeks gestation are considered premature, and according to Tommy's the baby charity, around 7% of all babies born in the UK in the years 2001/2002 were born prematurely.Some babies born early are fine; they are just small