Centimeters?? Dilated?? Eh? I thought the sucker just slipped out.
I’m one of the women who guessed a little high. I’ve never had kids, and wasn’t certain about the correct number. What I vaguely remember coming up on medical dramas would be people saying that a woman was close to being able to deliver because she was at 9 cm. So I was pretty sure it was more than 9 cm, but 10 cm seemed a little small (I held out my hands and went “A baby’s head has got to be about this big…”) so I guessed 12 cm.
Since I was off by 2 cm I’m sympathetic to those who didn’t know the correct answer, but Munch I do have to wonder why you thought 3 cm was anywhere near large enough. Were you thinking of 3 inches or something?
My understanding is that it’s 10. I’m not only male, but also gay so it really has no bearing on my life in any way.
as a handy visual aid, a Ritz cracker is about 4 cm and a large bagel is about 10 cm.
Nobody else got this? I lol’d.
My mother was a newborn nursery nurse, so I grew up hearing lots of things like this. I was really surprised that my wife didn’t know so much of what I thought were “the basics.” Now if my mom had only been an investment banker, I could have learned something a bit more profitable.
I’m a guy and don’t have a clue. (Why would I?)
Female and not a clue.
I never really watched any of the medical dramas (except House), so never came across it that way. And having no interest in the labour part of reproduction means I have never heard what is the right size. My guess would’ve been around 7cm, based on what I imagine a newborn’s head diameter would be, as the youngest baby I’ve ever seen has been around 2 or 3 months old.
So yeah, clueless
10cm. That’s what I was told in antenatal classes, that’s what the Ob checked on during delivery…and then we had to go and have an emergency C-S anyway. So now my brain is filled with another factoid I never actually used…“10cm” is probably displacing my sister’s birthday or where I left my gym locker keys.
I guessed high (male) but mainly because I was not clear whether the reference was to radius, diameter or circumference (it’s diameter, right?).
I learned this about a hour before my son was born.
Family Feud reference, I take it?
I didn’t know until I had my first kid a few months ago. (That is to say, I didn’t know until I attended the birthing classes.) I wouldn’t expect a guy to know unless he’s had kids or has dealt with women giving birth.
Larger than his head but smaller than his shoulders, which explains the hollering.
Smaller than the head and smaller than the shoulders. Which explains the hollering and the funny smooshy coneheads. 
Nearly ditto for me (I@m a bit younger in age).
Judging from my olde brother’s fat head I would have guessed at least 10 inches, though.
My poor mum. 
I didn’t think I came across that way, either! I wasn’t upset. You were correct - with my knowledge of ST minutiae, I should have remembered that. 