Word parts
What it means
Labor has four stages. The first stage lasts from the start of regular uterine contractionYOO-ter-in kun-TRAK-shunA tightening and then relaxing of the muscle of the uterus (womb), as happens during labor.Full entry s until the cervix is fully opened to 10 cm. The second stage is pushing and the birth of the baby. The third is the delivery of the placenta. The fourth is the first hours of recovery. Labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy is preterm labor.
For the nurse
Track the contractions (how often, how long, how strong), the fetal heart rate and the mother's vital signs, pain and progress. Report fluid that is green or bloody, heavy bleeding, or a fetal heart rate outside the normal range.
At a glance
| Spanish | trabajo de parto |
|---|---|
| Also written | labors |
Related terms
postpartum
The time after giving birth, usually the first six weeks, while the body returns to its non-pregnant state.
uterine contraction
A tightening and then relaxing of the muscle of the uterus (womb), as happens during labor.
maternal
Having to do with a mother, or with a woman during pregnancy, birth and the weeks after.
interval
The time or space between two events, such as between two contractions in labor or between two waves on an ECG.