Normal Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery Stages of Labor First stage of labor A typical human childbirth will begin the

onset of the first stage of labor: con tractions of the uterus, at first every 10-30 minutes and lasting about 40 secon ds each. Occasionally the labor will begin with a rupture of the amniotic sac, t he paired amnion and chorion (breaking of the water). The contractions will accele rate until they happen every two minutes. Each contraction dilates the cervix un til it reaches 10 centimeters (4) in width. The duration of labor varies wildly, but averages some 13 hours for women giving birth to their first child (primiparae) and 8 hours for women who have already gi ven birth. Second stage of labor In the second stage of labor, the baby is expelled from the womb through the bir th canal by both the uterine contractions and by powerful abdominal contractions (bearing down). The baby is most commonly born head-first. With difficulty, babie s can be delivered in the breech position where the babys buttocks or feet are deli vered first and the legs are folded onto the babys body. Babies in a footling bree ch position should not be delivered via vaginal birth. Immediately after birth, the child undergoes extensive physiological modificatio ns as it acclimatizes to independent breathing. Several cardiac structures start regressing immediately after birth, such as the ductus arteriosus and the foram en ovale. The medical condition of the child is assessed with the Apgar score, based on fi ve parameters. A good start refers to higher scores, while a child doing poorly wi ll have low scores that do not improve rapidly over time. Third stage (placental) The last stage of labor occurs about a quarter to a half-hour after the baby is born; in this stage, the placenta or afterbirth is expelled. After the birth Usually soon after birth the parents assign the infant its given names. Many cul tures feature initiation rites for newborns, such as circumcision or baptism, am ongst others. Variations When the amniotic sac has not ruptured during labor or pushing, the infant can b e born with the membranes intact. This is referred to as being born in the caul. T he caul is harmless and easily wiped away by the doctor or person assisting with the childbirth. In medieval times, a caul was seen as a sign of good fortune fo r the baby, in some cultures was seen as protection against drowning, and the ca ul was often impressed onto paper and stored away as an heirloom for the child. With the advent of modern interventive obstetrics, premature artificial rupture of the membranes has become common and it is rare for infants to be born in the caul in Western births. Pain control Due to the relatively-large size of the human skull and the shape of the human p elvis forced by the erect posture, childbirth is more difficult and painful for human mothers than other mammals. Many methods are available to reduce the pain of labor, including psychological preparation, emotional support, epidural analg esia, spinal anesthesia, nitrous oxide and opioids, the Lamaze Technique. Each m ethod has its own advantages and disadvantages. Complications Complications occasionally arise during childbirth; these generally require mana gement by an obstetrician. Non-progression of labor (longterm contractions without adequate cervical dilati on) is generally treated with cervical prostaglandin gel or intravenous syntheti c oxytocin preparations. If this is ineffective, Caesarean section may be necess ary. Fetal distress is the development of signs of distress by the child. These may i nclude rising or decreasing heartbeat (monitored on cardiotocography/CTG), shedd

ing of meconium in the amniotic fluid, and other signs. Non-progression of expulsion (the head or presenting parts are not delivered des pite adequate contractions): this can require interventions such as vacuum extra ction, forceps extraction and Caesarean section. In the past, a great many women died during or shortly after childbirth but mode rn medical techniques available in industrialized countries have greatly reduced this total. REFERENCE: http://nursing-resource.com/normal-spontaneous-vaginal-delivery/#stages