Written by: Molly
Cervixes are dynamic, incredible organs that can change shape, consistency, feel, at different points of menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy loss, and childbirth.
Most of the time, when not menstruating or ovulating, the cervix is relatively hard, closed and tight. This keeps our cervix from resting open and potentially being a pathway of vulnerability into the body. By contrast, the cervix must open at least a small amount during ovulation and menstruation, and the regular discharge during these times acts as protection for the open cervixes.
Why would we need to soften the cervix?
There are times when the cervix is tightly closed when we’d like to encourage them to soften. These might include:
Waiting on your period to come and wanting to encourage it to come faster
Preparing for an IUD insertion
Preparing for a menstrual extraction
Preparing for an abortion
Experiencing a missed miscarriage and want to encourage the body to release
Being pregnant, full term, and ready to encourage the body to go into labour (or you need to go into labour now, for some particular reason)
Essentially, there are times when something is going to go into or come out of the cervix and we want to make that easier and less painful.
When softening and opening a cervix, one can either rely on natural methods (herbs, oils, etc.), or on pharmaceutical and mechanical methods.
Using Herbal Medicine to Soften the Cervix
When using herbal remedies to support cervical softening, it’s important to keep in mind that it may take a minimum of a few days to be effective. In addition, it’s important to consider any other vitamins, herbs, supplements, or medications in the body that may interact with the chosen cervical-softening-ally.
Parsley
Insert a small bundle of fresh parsley sprigs vaginally; change every 8-12 hours for 3 days
Notes:
Take a small bundle of sprigs, held between the fingers, stems trimmed to just be about 2 inches long (or to preference), and insert vaginally so the leaves are resting up against the cervix.
Flat leaf or curly leaf parsley are both fine, though flat leaf is usually more comfortable.
Select organic parsley, since it’s going directly inside the vagina.
It’s a little uncomfortable at first, but the heat and moisture of the body softens everything quickly.
Pro-tip: because our mucous membranes are connected in the body, you’re likely to taste parsley in your mouth, while it is held in your vagina. Wild!
Evening Primrose Oil or Borage Oil
Oral: take two capsules twice daily (morning and evening) for 3-5 days.
Vaginal: insert two capsules vaginally as high up as they can go before you lie down to sleep. Consider sleeping on a towel or with a pantiliner as it might leak. Repeat for 3-5 days.
Notes:
The gamma linolenic acid (GLA) in evening primrose and borage oils have well-known cervical softening properties and have been used my midwives, physicians, and all kinds of healthcare providers and supporters and a gentle way to help cervixes soften and open in a variety of contexts. Very little research has proven benefits, but experience shows efficacy.
The GLA content of borage oil is higher than that of evening primrose oil, and borage oil is often considerably cheaper. However, you’ll want to source the highest quality you can afford, and there’s often a variety of quality, including high quality, evening primrose oil available.
Whichever you take, you can choose to take it orally or vaginally. We see slightly faster/better results with vaginal administration, but it’s up to you
You can also get oil that is not contained in capsules, or open the capsules to get the oil, and put it on your finger and apply it directly to your cervix if you feel comfortable with that.
Lobelia Tincture
There is a wide range of suggested doses from 1-6 drops (not pregnant, early pregnancy) to 60-120 drops (full term pregnant), often just once. Individual bodies may tolerate more or less.
Notes:
Too much lobelia often causes vomiting.
More than once I’ve heard of friends attempting menstrual extraction, with a speculum in place visualizing the cervix, have the person take drops of lobelia tincture on their tongue and visually see the cervix soften before their eyes.
Lobelia is also commonly included in traditional labour-prep tinctures as an element to encourage labour in a term pregnancy.
Cervixes are dynamic, incredible organs that shift between hard and soft on their own given a variety of factors, and typically in response to hormonal changes and events (menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, birth, etc.). We can encourage our cervixes to soften up even when they’re in a rigid phase if we need to, using plants and oils.
Speaking with a skilled herbalist is a great way to get recommendations specific to your symptoms and integrate an herbal formula that will address your needs.
About the Author: Molly is a midwife experienced and skilled in supporting a full spectrum of reproductive health. Molly has focused her work on pregnancy loss and abortion, and advocates for home-based midwifery models of care for all reproductive experiences. She lives in Toronto, Ontario on the traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishnaabe and the Mississaugas of the Credit.