Final answer:
The woman's prolonged labor during the first stage could have required medical intervention with Pitocin if the labor stalled, to help progress to the second stage of labor and safely deliver the baby.
Step-by-step explanation:
A 35-year-old pregnant woman who is in her 38th week with her first child has experienced prolonged labor during the first stage. The first stage of labor involves the thinning and dilatation of the cervix, which must dilate to about 10 cm for the baby and placenta to be expelled during birth. If labor should stop before stage two, which is the actual expulsion of the baby, synthetic oxytocin known as Pitocin can be administered to restart and maintain labor. The prolonged labor mentioned in the student's question implies that the woman did make it through the first stage, or that intervention was given to complete it, as she eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
The physiology of labor indicates that labor typically occurs within a week of the due date. If labor does not progress naturally, medications like Pitocin are used to stimulate contractions. In this scenario, because the labor was prolonged, Pitocin may have been used to facilitate the progression to stage two and ensure a safe delivery.