The 3 Stages of Parturition: Dilation, Expulsion, and Placental

Parturition means childbirth. Childbirth is the culmination of pregnancy, during which a baby grows inside a woman's uterus. HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeParenthoodStagesInfertilityHealth&Well-BeingLifeSex&RelationshipsProducts&GearParenthoodPregnancy3StagesofParturition(Childbirth)MedicallyreviewedbyHollyErnst,PA-C—WrittenbyScottFrothinghamonMay21,2018Stage1Stage2Stage3ComplicationsTakeawayWhatisparturition?Parturitionmeanschildbirth.Childbirthistheculminationofpregnancy,duringwhichababygrowsinsideawoman’suterus.Childbirthisalsocalledlabor.Pregnanthumansgointolaborroughlyninemonthsafterconception.Readontolearnaboutthethreestagesofparturitionandhowlongeachstagelastsonaverage.DilationThefirststageofparturitionstartswiththeonsetoflabor.Itcontinuesuntilthecervixisfullydilated.Thisdilationisdividedintotwophases:Latentphase.Thecervixis0to4centimeters(cm)dilated.Activephase.Thecervixis4to10cmdilated.Thelatentphasetakesaboutsixhoursforawomanwho’sgivingbirthforthefirsttime.Ittakesaroundfivehoursforawomanwho’sgivenbirthpreviously.Forsomewomen,thelatentphasemaylast8to12hours.Duringtheactivephase,it’sexpectedthatthecervixwilldilateatarateofabout1cmperhourforawomanwho’sgivingbirthforthefirsttime.Forawomanwho’spreviouslyhadavaginaldelivery,therateistypicallyabout2cmperhour.ExpulsionThesecondstageofparturitionstartsatfulldilationandcontinuesuntilbirth.Thisstagealsohastwophases:Passivephase.Thebaby’sheadmovesdownthroughthevagina.Activephase.Themotherfeelsaneedtopush,orcontracttheabdominalmusclesintimewithuterinecontractions.Theactivephaselastsabout45minutesforawomanwho’shavingherfirstbaby.Forwomenwho’vehadavaginaldelivery,theactivephaselastsabout30minutes.Stage2endswiththebirthofthebaby.Atthispoint,theumbilicalcordisclamped,andbreastfeedingisoftenencouragedtohelpwithstage3.PlacentalThethirdstageofparturitionstartsafterbirthandendswiththedeliveryoftheafterbirth(placentaandmembranes).Ifthedoctortakesanactiverole—includinggentlypullingontheplacenta—stage3typicallytakesaroundfiveminutes.Iftheplacentaisdeliveredwithoutassistance,stage3canlastaround30minutes.ComplicationsduringchildbirthSometimestherearecomplicationsduringeachofthethreeparturitionstages.Someofthemostcommoncomplicationsinclude:FetaldistressFetaldistresstypicallyreferstoaslowdowninthebaby’sheartrate.Adoctorusuallyaddressesthisbyusingavacuumextractororforcepstospeedupthebirth.Ifthat’sunsuccessful,acesareandeliverymightbecalledfor.Thisisasurgerytodeliverthebaby.NuchalcordThisiswhentheumbilicalcordwrapsaroundthebaby’sneck.Althoughanuchalcorddoesn’tmeandangerforthebaby,itcouldbecomeaproblemifthemothercan’tpushthebabyoutandavacuumextractororforcepsareunsuccessful.Acesareandeliverymightbethebesttreatmentforthissituation.BreechHumanbabiesshouldbedeliveredwiththeirheaddown.Abreechpregnancyiswhenthebabyispositionedfeetdown,bottomdown,orsideways.Sometimesadoctorcanrepositionthebabymanually.Sometimesthesolutionisacesareandelivery.ThetakeawayParturitionisanotherwordforchildbirth.Althoughnoteverywomanhasthesamepregnancyjourney,theywillgothroughthesebasicstages.Havingexperiencedmedicalpersonneltoguideyouthroughparturitionisalwaysawisedecisionincasecomplicationsarise.LastmedicallyreviewedonMay21,2018ParenthoodPregnancy3rdTrimesterMedicallyreviewedbyHollyErnst,PA-C—WrittenbyScottFrothinghamonMay21,2018relatedstoriesLaborandDeliveryAtonyoftheUterusPregnancyCarePregnancyComplications:UterineInversionTypesofDoctorsforLaborandDeliveryReadthisnextLaborandDeliveryMedicallyreviewedbyBobbieSueWhitworth,Ph.D.,MSN,RNCLaboranddeliverytendstooccupythemindsofexpectantparentsthemost.Readonifyouhavequestionsaboutthesignsandlengthoflabor.READMOREAtonyoftheUterusMedicallyreviewedbyNicoleGalan,RNAtonyoftheuterusisapregnancycomplication.Itoccurswhentheuterusdoesn'tcontractafterthedelivery,anditcanleadtopostpartum…READMOREPregnancyCareMedicallyreviewedbyJanineKelbach,RNC-OBDuringandafterpregnancy,it’simportanttotakecareofyourhealth.Here’salookatthecareyou’llneedandwhattoexpect.READMOREPregnancyComplications:UterineInversionMedicallyreviewedbyJanineKelbach,RNC-OBAuterineinversionisarareconditioninwhichtheuterusturnsinsideoutduringchildbirth.Readmoreoncomplicationsandtreatments.READMORETypesofDoctorsforLaborandDeliveryMedicallyreviewedbyValindaRigginsNwadike,MD,MPHDecidingwhichtypeofdoctoryouwanttodeliveryourbabyisanimportantchoice.Learnaboutthedifferentspecialtiestohelpyoumakeyour…READMORETheBestPregnancyTestsfor2022MedicallyreviewedbyMeredithWallis,MS,APRN,CNM,IBCLCTakingahomepregnancytestcanhelpyougetthebigansweryou’rewaitingfor.Hereareourpicksofthebestpregnancytestsonthemarkettoday…READMORE5WeeksPregnant:Symptoms,Tips,andMoreAt5weekspregnant,yourbabyisthesizeofasesameseed.Here'swhattoknowaboutbeing5weekspregnantandwhattoexpect.READMORE6TipsforaFastC-SectionRecoveryC-sectionrecoverycantake6to8weeks.Gettipstohelpgetyouthroughthisperiodofhealing.We’llalsoletyouknowtheserioussymptomsto…READMOREHomeBirth:ProsandConsMedicallyreviewedbyMeredithWallis,MS,APRN,CNM,IBCLCIfyou’reconsideringahomebirth,it’simportanttounderstandthebenefitsandrisks.Here’salookattheprosandcons.READMORECannabisUseDuringPregnancyLinkedtoHavingChildwithHigherLevelsofAnxiety,StressNewresearchsuggestsmaternalcannabisuseisassociatedwithhigherlevelsofanxiety,stress,hyperactivityinchildrenlaterinlife.READMORE