Find out what it means to go into labor and when you should start preparing.

By Dr. Laura Riley
Updated: November 26, 2018

So you just came back from a prenatal appointment, and your doctor says you're already 3 centimeters dilated and 50 percent effaced. Is it time to celebrate? Does that mean you'll go into labor today? Here's what to know.

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What is dilation and effacement?

In simplest terms, labor is the process of your cervix thinning out (effacement) and opening up (dilation). Thanks to those marvelous Braxton Hicks contractions, by the final weeks of pregnancy your practitioner may pronounce you to be 50 percent effaced or more. A cervix that is 100 percent effaced has gone from the shape of a thick-walled cone to that of a flat, thin cup beneath the baby's head. If you're 50 percent effaced, that means you're halfway there.

Your labor contractions will gradually open your cervix to that magical dilation measurement of 10 centimeters. When your cervix has dilated to that point (about the width of your hand), your midwife or obstetrician will tell you that it's all right to push during your contractions and deliver your baby.

RELATEDHow To Know If You're Having Contractions — Or Just Gas

When will I go into labor?

The fact that you're 3 centimeters dilated right now means that your cervix is already starting to open up. That's a great sign! However, when you'll actually go into the active labor phase is still a mystery.

In general, though, once active labor begins, the average progress is about 1 centimeter dilation per hour for your first baby and 1 1/2 centimeters per hour for a second baby.

RELATED: 12 Tips to Help You Prepare for Childbirth and Labor

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