Final answer:
The statement is false as parous women, who have previously given birth, generally have a shorter dilation stage of labor compared to nulliparous women who are giving birth for the first time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that parous women generally experience a longer dilation stage of labor than nulliparous women is false. The dilation stage of labor is the period where the cervix thins and dilates to 10 cm, allowing for the baby to be expelled. This stage can take varying lengths of time: from minutes, hours, to days. It is influenced partially by whether a woman has given birth before.
For those who have, the dilation stage tends to be shorter in subsequent labors, indicating that parous women typically have a shorter dilation stage of labor compared to nulliparous women, who are giving birth for the first time.True labor can be described as a positive feedback loop where uterine contractions, stimulated by the full-term fetus, stretch the cervix, leading to dilation and effacement.
These contractions are enhanced by the release of oxytocin, which further strengthens them and aids in the progression of labor. The pain experienced during labor is associated with myometrial hypoxia, which is due to the muscular contractions of the uterus.