A–Z Glossary

Labor stage

A phase of labor identified by cervical change, contraction patterns, birth progress, and delivery of the placenta.

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Combining signs to identify labor stage

Combining signs to identify labor stage

Why no single sign is enough Identifying labor stage is a clinical judgment built from several observations. A person may have painful contractions without progressive cervical change, or may have cervical dilation with contractions that still feel manageable. Likewise, the mucus plug, bloody show, backache, nausea, or pelvic pressure before labor may occur hours or […]