Labor Flashcards
Labor
The process of birth
Presentation
part of fetus lying over cervix
- The first part delivered
Vertex Presentation
top of head is presenting
- Most common presentation by far
- Safest presentation
Breech Position
lower areas are presenting
- Can endanger the baby
- Body may be delivered before head can exit
- Head may compress umbilical cord
- Compressed cord stops oxygen to fetus
Position
direction that back of baby’s head is pointing
Occipital bone
bone of the back of the skull
Occiput anterior (OA)
back of the skull toward the chest.
- Most favorable position
- Most common position
Occiput posterior (OP)
back of the skull toward the back.
- More painful than OA
Station
cm of the head below the pelvis.
- Ex: -4 = 4 cm above pelvis
- Lightening: relief of pressure in chest due to descent
Labor
Occurs ~38 weeks after fertilization.
- Small minority born on due date
- about half are born within 1 week of due date.
- Vast majority come within 2 weeks of due date.
Possible signs of approaching labor/prelabor
- Backache
- Lower abdomen crams
- Frequent, soft bowel movements
- Nesting urge
Backache
- Comes and goes
- A single position may not be comfortable for very long.
- May be caused by early contractions.
Lower abdomen cramps
- Mild or moderately uncomfortable
- May progress to uterine contractions
Frequent, soft bowel movements
- Clears intestines to make more room for birth
- May manifest as diarrhea
Nesting urge
A strong desire to complete preparation for the baby.
- Accompanied by a burst of energy
Labor stages
Dilation stage, Expulsion stage, Placental stage
Prelabor
Stage with nonprogressing uterine contractions
- Not actually part of labor
- Occurs before labor
- Indicates that labor is imminent
Nonprogressing contractions
Contractions that do not increase in intensity, frequency, or duration.
- May bring cervix forward, ripen it, and efface it
- May last for hours
Signs of prelabor
Bloody show, fluid leaking from vagina
Bloody show
blood stained mucus that comes through the vagina.
- Due to softening, effacement, and dilation of cervix
- Removes mucus plug
Mucus plug
thick mucus blocking the cervix.
- Prevents pathogen passage through cervix
Fluid leaking from vagina
- A loss of amniotic fluid
- Caused by small rupture of “bag of waters”
Dilation Stage
Stage of labor when progressing contractions begin.
- Ends when cervix is completely dilated
Events of Dilation Stage
Progressing contractions begin, Cervix dilates, cervix effaces, water breaks
Progressing contractions
contractions that increase in strength, length, and frequency
Oxytocin
hormone that promotes contractions.
- Promotes endorphin release
- Endorphins decrease pain
- Promotes a bonding feeling with the newborn.
Pitocin
synthetic oxytocin
- Used to speed up/promote labor
- Causes uterine contractions
- Does not circulate identically to oxytocin
- May increase pain of childbirth
- Does not promote endorphin release
- Increases epidural use
- May increase rate of cesarean
Epidural
pain medication often used during child birth
Cesarean
A surgical operation used for delivery
