Labor and Delivery Notes.
Introduction to Labor:
Labor is the physiological process through which a fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled
from the uterus through the birth canal. It typically occurs between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation
and is divided into different stages.
Signs of Labor
● Regular and progressively increasing uterine contractions
● Show (passage of blood-stained mucus plug)
● Rupture of membranes (breaking of water)
● Cervical dilation and effacement
● Descent of the presenting part
Stages of Labor.
1. First Stage (Cervical Dilation)
Begins with the onset of true labor contractions and ends with full cervical dilation (10 cm)
Phases:
Latent phase: 0-3 cm dilation, mild contractions
Active phase: 4-7 cm dilation, stronger contractions
Transition phase: 8-10 cm dilation, intense contractions
2. Second Stage (Expulsion Stage)
Begins at full cervical dilation and ends with the delivery of the baby
Strong, frequent contractions push the fetus down the birth canal
Introduction to Labor:
Labor is the physiological process through which a fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled
from the uterus through the birth canal. It typically occurs between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation
and is divided into different stages.
Signs of Labor
● Regular and progressively increasing uterine contractions
● Show (passage of blood-stained mucus plug)
● Rupture of membranes (breaking of water)
● Cervical dilation and effacement
● Descent of the presenting part
Stages of Labor.
1. First Stage (Cervical Dilation)
Begins with the onset of true labor contractions and ends with full cervical dilation (10 cm)
Phases:
Latent phase: 0-3 cm dilation, mild contractions
Active phase: 4-7 cm dilation, stronger contractions
Transition phase: 8-10 cm dilation, intense contractions
2. Second Stage (Expulsion Stage)
Begins at full cervical dilation and ends with the delivery of the baby
Strong, frequent contractions push the fetus down the birth canal
