Maternity Ward's 'Dilation Pumpkins' Go Crazy Viral On Internet: ‘I’ve Never Seen Anything Scarier’

By Samantha in Horrors and Creepy On 30th October 2021

Internet responds with both humor and horror to these dilation pumpkins made by the midwives at Royal Oldham Hospital in Lancashire. The scary pumpkins represent the dilation of the cervix when a woman is in labor and many women couldn't help but react with disbelief and sheer horror after experiencing the visual representation of giving birth.

Internet is truly freaked out over this Halloween-themed display in a maternity unit that has gone viral on social media.

Created by midwives at Royal Oldham Hospital in Lancashire, a group of ten “dilation pumpkins” illustrate how the cervix dilates during labour. The pumpkins are lined up in ascending order, from 1cm to 10cm.

Twitter

The scary pumpkins show them getting shocked with increasing dilation. The first pumpkin looks mildly surprised and somewhat cute too but the last pumpkin looks like it has seen a ghost and at 10cm it looks absolutely horrified.

The picture first went viral back in 2019 and now it is doing rounds on Twitter again after author and medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris reshared the image with her 117,000 Twitter followers a few days back.

A few years ago, midwives at the Royal Oldham Hospital in Lancashire created "dilation pumpkins" - and I don't think I've ever seen anything scarier in my life.* ??

*Posted with apologies to anyone who is pregnant. pic.twitter.com/VbvLh9ikUD
— Lindsey Fitzharris (@DrLindseyFitz) October 20, 2021

The picture went viral on social media quickly and reshared more than 10,000 times.

One Twitter user called Katie replied to share an image she snapped while doing a placement at the same hospital a few years ago.

The image shows a pumpkin, with its seeds glued to its face like tears, giving “birth” to delicata squash.

I did a placement as a med student on labour ward at Royal Oldham a couple of years ago and they had this one ? pic.twitter.com/ekNs5S9YZy
— Katie (@KatieeeSpencer) October 21, 2021

The internet responds to the viral picture with equal horror and amusement

Many responded to Fitzharris’ tweet with jokes, with one laughing about how some of the hats look like condoms.

3 and 9 appear to be wearing condoms for hats which I would suggest is a bit late to be thinking about! pic.twitter.com/hezYi8p8Js
— Steven ? this ? says trans rights (@SteveItBe) October 21, 2021

Many women who already have children reacted to the picture with disbelief

pic.twitter.com/lTAMpHWFwF
— ⚫ Jen (@TheJenAnn) October 21, 2021

I don’t think the eyes on the 10cm dilation pumpkin adequately reflect the associated pain, shock …..??
— Peter Scott (@PRS_rugbycoach) October 21, 2021

pic.twitter.com/RW2IDZmr2h
— Elise M. Kolenda ⚖️??️??? (@econwithelise) October 21, 2021

I remember seeing this, and I haven’t uncrossed my legs since.
— Cat Irving (@AnatomicalCat) October 20, 2021

I am not sure how I had 3 children when I look at 10cm pumpkin as makes me weep.
— Ceridwen Eccles (@Teacherglitter) October 22, 2021

Actual think at an NCT class:

Tutor: To give you a clue what 10 centimetres looks like, it’s about the size of a grapefruit.

*lack of horrified reaction*

T: another way to visualise that is, you know those round packets of Dairy Lea triangles?

*collective oof from mums to be*
— Andrew F (@MarmiteJunction) October 21, 2021

Brought back memories of when I went to the hospital in labor thinking “ I bet I’m about 8 cm” and the resident examined me and said “You are almost 1.” I thought if this is almost 1, what is 10 going to feel like! Epidural por favor! ??
— NancyE (@NancyE54451193) October 20, 2021

23 years ago I went from 2 to 10 centimeters in 45 minutes, without anesthetic. Those pumpkins don't look nearly terrified enough. ?
— Jonté's Inferno (@LJonte) October 21, 2021

How fantastic are women's bodies that they can cope with this without anaesthetic?
— Jayne Bartlett ? (@badlymadly) October 21, 2021

I'm assuredly not pregnant and this is still distressing.
— Emily (@OtherPens) October 20, 2021

Should show this in schools on sex education classes! Should drop the birth rate in no time ?
— Angela Harding ? (@aeajharding) October 21, 2021

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Maternity Ward's 'Dilation Pumpkins' Go Crazy Viral On Internet: ‘I’ve Never Seen Anything Scarier’

The internet responds to the viral picture with equal horror and amusement

Many women who already have children reacted to the picture with disbelief