Labour and Delivery

By: abelfischer

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A human pregnancy usually lasts 280 days or 40 weeks. Once you complete the 37^th week of pregnancy, you are considered to be at term. Most women will deliver a week before or a week after the due date. There is no need to panic if you have not delivered by your due date. Remember that only 4 per cent of the pregnancies will deliver exactly on the given due date.

If any sign of labour occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy, the labour is considered premature or preterm. You should see your obstetrician immediately if you have any signs or symptoms of labour before 37 weeks.

A normal pregnancy can also go beyond the due date which your obstetrician would have given you. This is quite normal. When the pregnancy goes one week beyond the due date, it is called postdated pregnancy. If your pregnancy is progressing well and your baby is healthy, your obstetrician will wait 7-10 days after your due date and then plan on your delivery.

Labour

It is the process by which contractions of a pregnant uterus that causes birth. During labour the cervix (mouth of the uterus) thins out. This is termed as effacement. The gradual opening of the cervix is called dilation.

Delivery

It is the process which happens at the end of labour. The baby is born in the second stage of labour. A baby can be delivered either through the vagina or by a caesarean section.

Every labour is different and varies from woman to woman. How long it lasts and how it progresses differs from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy. There are however, general guidelines for labour that your obstetrician uses to decide whether it is progressing normally. If it is not progressing normally you may need medical assistance or a caesarean section.

When should you go to the hospital?

If you experience one or more of the below mentioned signs then you should go to the hospital for a check-up and confirmation of labour.

• Your contractions are coming at regular intervals and are increasing in intensity.
• Your membranes rupture even though you are not having any contractions.
• You are bleeding from the vagina.
• You are constantly experience pain with no relief between contractions.
• You notice the baby is moving less often or not moving at all.

If any of this happens then contact your obstetrician right away.

True labour or False Labour

You will know it is true labour if you experience:

• If your contractions are occurring at regular intervals
• If your contractions last for at least 30 seconds or more
• If you experience a discharge of mucus mixed with blood, this is called ‘a show’
• If there is the thinning of the cervix called effacement
• If there is an opening of the cervix called dilation          

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between a false labour and a true labour. You may need to be examined by your obstetrician to discover whether you are labour or not.     

 

About the Author

 Abel Fischer is a practicing gynecologist in Dassel, Germany and regularly contributes to women’s health issues and forums.

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