Prior to parturition the non-pliable uterine cervix undergoes a ripening process ("softens" and dilates) to allow a timely passage of the fetus at term. The exact mechanism(s) triggering and involved in cervical ripening are unknown, though evidence…
Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons connect the spinal cord and uterine cervix, and are activated at parturition with subsequent stimulation of secondary neurons in the spinal dorsal horn and autonomic areas. Neuropeptide neurotransmitters and…
