women s health issues
Labor
Start of labor
All pregnant women should know what the main signs of the start of labor are: Contractions in the lower abdomen at regular intervals Back pain A woman who has had rapid deliveries in previous pregnancies should notify her doctor as soon as she thinks she is going into labor. When contractions in the lower abdomen first start, they may be weak, irregular, and far apart. They may feel like menstrual cramps. As time passes, abdominal contractions become longer, stronger, and closer together. Contractions and back pain may be preceded or accompanied by other clues, such as the following: Bloody show:A small discharge of blood mixed with mucus from the vagina is usually a clue that labor is about to start. The bloody show may appear as early as 72 hours before contractions start. Usually, the fluid-filled membranes that contain the fetus (amniotic sac) rupture when labor begins, and the amniotic fluid flows out through the vagina. This event is commonly described as “the water breaks.” Occasionally, the membranes rupture before labor starts. Rupture of membranes before labor begins is called Prelabor Rupture of the Membranes (PROM) . Some women feel a gush of fluid from the vagina, followed by steady leaking. If a woman’s membranes rupture before labor starts, she should contact her doctor or midwife immediately or be taken to the nearest birthing center. About 80 to 90% of women whose membranes rupture at or near their due date go into labor spontaneously within 24 hours. If labor has not started after several hours and the baby is due, women are usually admitted to the hospital, where labor is artificially started ( Induction of Labor ) to reduce the risk of infection. After the membranes rupture, bacteria from the vagina can enter the uterus more easily and cause an infection in the woman, the fetus, or both. After a woman with premature rupture of membranes is admitted to a birthing center,oxytocin(which causes the uterus to contract) or a similar drug, such as a prostaglandin, is used to induce labor. However, if the membranes rupture more than 6 weeks before the due date (prematurely, or before the 34th week), doctors do not typically induce labor until the fetus is more mature. 