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Ask A Midwife

Q. Under what conditions would a woman actually reverse dialate? How and why would this happen? And what can the practitioner do in a situation like this?

A. Here are several factors to consider:

1. Different examiners will call dilitation differently
2. Bedrest and medications can cause a cervix to close up and not be as far dilated.
3. Stress in labor or exhaustion can cause a cervix to regress or not dilate.
4. The baby changing its position in labor can affect dilitation.

Pat Sonnenstuhl is a semi-retired nurse midwife with over 30 years of experience in health care (first as an RN, then as an ARNP, CNM). She has experience with hospital nursing/midwifery and home and birth center midwifery.

Two areas of special interest to her are GBS and nutrition.

She is about empowerment, and helping folks find their own answers, what is right for them, not what is right for her. But, she wants you well informed.