the present invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring the dilatation of the uterine cervix during labor and deliver . the system has a gauge and a monitoring unit . in one embodiment the gauge includes features for convenient attachment to the gloved fingertips of the clinician performing a routine digital probing of the cervix . the monitoring unit includes a sensor to automatically read the measurement of the gauge and a processor to process , record and display the sensor data . this system may be valuable for the assessment of the progress of labor and the early detection of delivery complications .