There are three stages of labour: The first stage involves cervical changes including effacement and dilation from 2-3 cm until full dilation of 10 cm. The second stage begins at full dilation and involves baby descending and being born. The third stage involves delivery of the placenta.

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The stages of labour
MPS 102
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There are three stages of labour
First stage
Second
stage
Third stage

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First stage of labour
Latent phase
Active phase
Transition phase

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First stage: Latent Phase
Not everyone will experience latent phase labour
•
Some changes can happen to the cervix during the
•
end of pregnancy in response to
Braxton Hicks contractions
Latent phase labour can be tiring and painful for
•
some women.
During this phase the cervix is softening, effacing
•
and dilating to 2 to 3 cms
Progress in this stage is often slow and may
•
continue over a period of days

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First stage: Active phase
During the active phase the cervix thins
•
and opens
Thinning = Effacement
•
Opening = Dilation.
•
The cervix is usually fully effaced by 5cms
•
dilation
Dilation is usually slower to 5cms, dilation
•
happens quicker after this
When dilation gets to 7 to 8 cms the labour
•
becomes more intense

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First stage: Transition
Around 7 to 8 cms dilation labour usually becomes
•
more intense
Women often become restless and may become
•
anxious
Reassurance that labour is progressing well and
•
that the end is in sight is helpful
Women may start to feel some pressure and
•
occasional expulsive urges but these are
controllable by breathing through contractions
Women may need to use a birth pool, shower or
•
might want to use some Entenox at this time

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Second stage of labour
The second stage of labour begins when the cervix
•
is fully open to 10 cms
This is when the woman feels an overwhelming
•
urge to bear down
As the foetus descends into the vagina there is
•
pressure on the anus which pouts
The foetal head will become visible at the introitus,
•
initially appearing and disappearing between
contractions
Once the head is crowned it does not recede
•
between contractions
The foetus moves through the birth canal and is
•
completely born

8. {6883CE42-335A-4EF0-B98B-D26C130CDE84} {65A8FA21-4967-4379-9EB3-F66DD76C2B50}
woman kneeling Foetal head crowning with
Anus
Pouting
Perineum
stretching
Head
crowning
Vulva

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Third stage of labour
Once the baby is born the third stage of labour
•
commences
After a pause the uterus begins to contract again
•
The fundus will be felt to rise and become firm just above
•
the umbilicus
The contraction and retraction of the uterine muscle
•
reduces the size of the placental site and the placenta
separates from the wall of the uterus
A clot forms behind the placenta helping with separation
•
The placenta and membranes fall into the lower uterine
•
segment and the woman feels an urge to bear down
The woman is supported in an upright position and the
•
placenta and membranes are born
The third stage is complete once the placenta and
•
membranes are born and any bleeding is controlled.

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Placenta separated, ready to be born
Uterus
Rectum Placenta
Urinary
bladder
Cord
Symphisis
Pubis