Pregnancy Labor Stages: Understanding All Four Stages

Pregnancy labor stages refer to the different stages that an expectant mothers experience during the period of pregnancy. Broadly we can classify these stages into four categories. As the period of pregnancy advances cervix and uterus go through several changes. These four stages are based on changes that take place during the process of childbirth. Here is a brief description to tell you how each stage begins and how it ends.

First Stage Of Labor

First pregnancy labor stage starts when the pregnant women begins to experience early labor pain. When a woman gets into labor she must know the difference between false labor pain and natural labor pain in pregnancy. When dilation of cervix reaches up to 10 cm then we can assume that this is the end of the first stage. The amount of time for which this stage continues differs from person to person. However, it may continue for 10 to 14 hours in case of first pregnancy. A shorter duration is observed in the second, third and subsequent pregnancies.

Second Stage

The complete effacing of the cervix marks the beginning of second pregnancy labor stage. This stage continues till the birth of the child. First time would be moms might experience this stage for one to two hours while it keeps on getting shorter in second or third pregnancies.

Third And Fourth Stages

Then comes the third pregnancy labor stage. Childbirth is the indication that third stage has begun while delivery of placenta marks its end. This stage is much shorter as compared to the two previous stages. Normally it takes 5 to 15 minutes before the pregnant woman enters the fourth stage of pregnancy. Delivery of placenta is an indication of the beginning of this stage and it ends after 1 or 2 hours.

Internal Vaginal Examination

Now what are the methods to determining that a pregnant woman is progressing in a normal way? To get an idea of the condition you have to undergo an internal vaginal examination. You cannot ask for this test recurrently and the best time to do it is while having contractions. There is much information that one can get with the help of internal vaginal examination. For example, it measured the thinning of cervical effacement and dilation of cervix. You also get to know about the presentation and positioning with the help of this test.

Presentation tells you what part of body will come out first. Feet, head or buttock. Positions are of two types. One is anterior and the other one is posterior. When the baby is facing your back then it is called anterior position. On the other hand, in case of posterior position, it faces your front. Station is helpful in determining the distance of the presenting part, either positive or negative, from the mid point of the pelvis. Having knowledge of induced labor and self-induced labor besides the pregnancy labor stages is also very helpful.