Patient's question:
I'm more than 37 weeks pregnant, and lately I've been worried about being unprepared for the birth. I've been staying home for the birth, but I wanted to go to the hospital, but my family doesn't have the time to take care of me, so I'll have to be admitted when I'm about to give birth. I want to know what the symptoms are when I'm about to give birth.What kind of help I need: What are the symptoms when I'm about to give birth?
Doctor's answer:
If it's close to delivery time, the pregnant woman may experience irregular contractions of the uterus. The pregnant woman will feel her abdomen tighten at regular intervals, becoming more frequent over time. This is an important sign that labor is beginning.Second, "seeing red": Before the uterus starts contracting regularly, some bloody mucus may be discharged. This is called "seeing red" in medical terms and is known as a sign of labor. Further examination should be conducted promptly.
Third, "rupture of membranes": Most women rupture their membranes around the time the cervix is fully dilated, but some may rupture before labor begins. Therefore, if a pregnant woman is full-term and experiences a watery discharge (amniotic fluid), it indicates that the membranes have ruptured and labor has started.
If regular and gradually stronger uterine contractions occur—typically every 5 to 6 minutes, lasting 30 seconds or longer, accompanied by progressive cervical dilation and descent of the presenting part—this indicates the onset of labor. At this point, the pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately to give birth.