Page 120 - 86 human physiology part-2

Pregnancy and Birth

most critical in the first weeks such as: mother's history, urine tests, weighing in, blood tests, physical
examination, blood pressure, prenatal monitoring, and ultrasound scans.

Labor and Birth

Labor is defined as contractions and cervical change, contractions alone are not labor.

• Pre-Labor Signs: as your body is preparing for labor, there are a few things that should be
expected to happen within four to six weeks of labor.

1. Pressure on the pelvic area
2. Occasional brownish discharge
3. Energy level is noticeably increasing or decreasing
4. Loss of the mucus plug (does not always exist)/increasing discharge
5. Braxton Hicks contractions (painless contraction of the uterus)
6. Movement of the baby into the pelvis

• False Labor Signs: there are a few signs that indicate false labor.

1. Timing of the contractions are irregular and do not become more frequent
2. Contractions stop during rest, stopping what the mother is doing, walking, or changing
position
3. Inconsistent in strength (strong one minute then weak the next)
4. Location of pain is in the front only

• True Labor

1. Pain in the lower back, radiating towards the front abdomen, possibly also the legs
2. Contractions increase in strength and are closer together; coming now on a regular basis, 30
to 70 seconds apart
3. The mucous plug is detached, showing bloody discharge
4. The water breaks (usually this does not break until the doctor does it), when this happens,
contractions become much stronger
5. Some women have the sudden need to go to the bathroom, diarrhea is common
6. Contractions continue despite movement
7. The cervix is thinning and dilating

When the contractions of labor begin, the walls of the uterus start to contract. They are stimulated
by the release of the pituitary hormone oxytocin. The contractions cause the cervix to widen and begin
to open. As labor progresses the amniotic sac can rupture causing a slow or a fast gush of fluids. Labor
usually begins within a 24 hour period after the amniotic sac has ruptured. As contractions become
closer and stronger the cervix will gradually start to dilate. The first stage of labor is broken into three
parts:

• Latent Phase First is the latent phase of labor, when the cervix dilates from 1-4
centimeters, this can be the longest and most exhausting part for the mother.

• Active Phase The cervix dilates on average 1 cm per hour in the active phase of labor

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