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Cervical Ripening
Changes in the cervix (definition link) that occur in the later stages of pregnancy and the latent phase of labour. The cervix begins as firm (similar to that of your fingernails), between 2-3 cm long, and posterior. During cervical ripening, the cervix softens (it becomes similar to the firmness of the end of your nose), it becomes shorter, and it moves into a central position.
