Understanding Cervical Dilation & Effacement in Pregnancy

Question
This question is in regards to my daughter.  She is 21 years old and this is her first pregnancy.  I'm not sure of the date of the first day of her last period but her due date is April 4.  She has had multiple ultrasounds and her due date has never varied.

She lives in Seattle as her husband is stationed at Fort Lewis.  I live in Indiana where both she and he are from originally.

She went to see her doctor today and was told that she is 75% effaced and dilated to 2 (actually 1 1/2 if there is such a measurement for dilation) centimeters.  She has been having Braxton Hicks contractions for about the last two weeks.

I purchased air fare months ago hoping to be there for the actual birth as well as some time after the baby is born.  I am scheduled to leave on April 1st and return on April 12th.

I have three children of my own but they were all born prematurely so I never experienced dilation and effacement in the "normal" sense of the terms.  Therefore, I am somewhat ignorant as to howlong it may/could take to dilate to 10 cm and to reach 100% effacement.

While I realize that every woman and every birth is different, I wondered if you could give me some sort of an idea of where she may stand as far as delivery?

Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.  AND, I promise not to hold you to your word!  ha ha

Thanks so much,
Nikki Bormann  

Answer
Usually, for a woman having her first pregnancy, she will not go into labor until 39-40 weeks gestation, and may even not go into labor uhtil up to 42 weeks, after which her doctor will induce her labor. It is quite common to have the cervix dilate to 1-2cm prior to labor. In a primip (first pregnancy) the the cervix will efface before it starts to dilate. When she starts to have contractions at the level of her belly button that occur every 3 mintues (from the start of one to the start of the next) and each contraction lasts for at least 45 seconds, and this continues for a full hour, then it is time to be checked. If the cervix has dilated to greater than 3-4cm, she will be admitted. From 1-5cm is called the latent period of labor and can last from 12-24 hours in time. Once she has reached 5cm, the cervix usually dilates at a rate of 1cm per minute until it reaches 10cm (full dilatation). I would suggest that you leave for Seattle when your daughter starts to have regular contractions, or if she beaks her water. If she has a bloody show, she may go into labor in a few days or a few weeks. Good Luck.