Patient's question:
Soon it will be time for delivery, I really want to have a natural birth, but I always feel a bit scared in my heart.Doctor's answer:
Before labor begins, the first signs that a pregnant woman is about to give birth appear, known as pre-labor symptoms: false labor, the sensation of the fetus descending, and bloody show. The onset of labor is marked by regular and gradually increasing uterine contractions, lasting 30 seconds or more with intervals of 5-6 minutes, accompanied by progressive cervical canal effacement, cervical dilation, and descent of the fetal presenting part.Recommendations:
The entire process of childbirth, known as the total labor process, refers to the period from the onset of regular contractions to the delivery of the fetus and placenta. Clinically, it is divided into three stages.
First Stage (Cervical Dilation Phase):
This stage begins with the onset of regular contractions occurring every 5-6 minutes and ends when the cervix is fully dilated. For nulliparous women (first-time mothers), the cervix is tighter, and dilation is slower, taking about 11-12 hours. For multiparous women (women who have given birth before), the cervix is looser, and dilation is faster, taking about 6-8 hours.
Second Stage (Fetal Delivery Phase):
This stage begins when the cervix is fully dilated and ends with the delivery of the fetus. For nulliparous women, it takes about 1-2 hours. For multiparous women, it is usually completed in a few minutes, though it can sometimes take up to 1 hour.
Third Stage (Placental Delivery Phase):
This stage begins with the delivery of the fetus and ends with the delivery of the placenta, taking about 5-15 minutes and should not exceed 30 minutes.
If you want to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire process, you can find relevant videos online to watch for a more (intuitive) perspective.