Your cervix is talked about a lot throughout your pregnancy, but may not be a body part that’s talked about a whole lot beforehand. However, it plays an important role during labor as it dilates and effaces which allows your baby to make it’s way down the birth canal.
Towards the end of your pregnancy your care team may want to begin doing cervical exams; after your first exam you may understand why so many women want to decline them! For starters, they are SUPER uncomfortable and can result in unnecessary spotting afterwards. Even though your medical professional is gloved during these exams, there’s still a risk to introduce bacteria which can cause an infection. Lastly, and I think most importantly, a cervical exam DOES NOT determine how close you are to going into labor. I’ve known many mothers who were 3 cm at 36 weeks and still went past their due date.
The only time a cervical check may be helpful is if you are over a week past your due date and your health care provider is trying to determine if induction is appropriate.