Final answer:
The first stage of labor involves visceral pain in the lower abdomen, the second stage involves somatic pain associated with delivery, and the third stage usually has milder pain. Referred pain is not typically linked to discomfort between contractions but is felt in areas distant from the affected organ due to shared nerve pathways.
Step-by-step explanation:
Different types of pain are experienced through the various stages of childbirth. The first stage of labor involves cervical dilation where the pain is visceral and focused in the lower abdomen due to the stretching of the myometrium and cervix. This pain can intensify due to myometrial hypoxia during the contractions required to dilate the cervix. The second stage of labor follows with the expulsion of the newborn, characterized by somatic pain due to the mother's intense pushing that aids in delivery. Referred pain is a phenomenon where pain from one part of the body is felt in another; however, this is not typically associated with the pain between contractions in childbirth. Instead, referred pain is most commonly understood in the context of irregular visceral sensations being mapped to other body regions, such as cardiac pain being felt in the shoulder and arm. Lastly, the third stage of labor involves passing the placenta. Pain during this stage is generally lesser than the prior stages, contradicting the claim that it resembles the more intense second-stage pain.