3.2.3 Dilatation of the cervix
The progress of labour is usually assessed by the degree of dilatation of the cervix. Cervical dilatation is assessed by doing a vaginal examination every four hours and using your fingers to estimate how wide the cervix has opened. (We described how to do this in Study Session 2). In normal labour the average rate for cervical dilatation is one centimetre every hour (1 cm per hour).
3.2.2 Uterine contractions