Question

A pregnant woman is in her third trimester. She asks the nurse to explain how she can tell true labor from false labor. The nurse would explain that "true" labor contractions:

Answer 1

True labor contractions do not subside with rest or hydration and become more frequent and intense. Labor involves three stages: cervical dilation, expulsion of the baby, and passage of the placenta. Pitocin can be given to stimulate labor if it stops before the baby is expelled.

Step-by-step explanation:

True labor contractions are the regular contractions that immediately precede childbirth. True labor is characterized by contractions that do not lessen with hydration or rest and increase in frequency and strength over time. A nurse would explain that these contractions are part of a positive feedback loop, where uterine contractions lead to the cervix stretching, dilating, and effacing. This, in turn, causes more forceful uterine contractions.

During the first stage of labor, the cervix thins and dilates, needing to reach about 10 cm to allow for the subsequent expulsion of the baby. In the second stage, the baby is expelled from the uterus, with the person giving birth typically pushing to aid in delivery. The last stage involves the passage of the placenta from the uterus. If labor prematurely halts before reaching the second stage, synthetic oxytocin, known as Pitocin, may be administered to encourage the continuation of labor.