What is First Stage of Labor?
The time of the onset of true labor until the cervix is completely dilated to 10 cm.
What are the Phases of First Stage of Labor?
The first stage of labor is the longest and involves three phases:
- Early Labor Phase -The time of the onset of labor until the cervix is dilated to 3 cm
- Active Labor Phase -Continues from 3 cm. until the cervix is dilated to 7 cm.
- Transition Phase – Continues from 7 cm. until the cervix is fully dilated to 10 cm.
Each phase is characterized by different emotions and physical challenges.
What are the Events of First Stage of Labor?
1. Dilatation of the cervix: Factors responsible-
- Uterine contraction and relation,
- Bag of membranes,
- Fetal axis pressure.
2. Taking up of cervix (effacement): It is the process of thinning out of the cervix.
- In primigravida, effacement precedes dilation of the cervix.
- In Multiparae both simultaneously.
3. Formation of lower uterine segment:
It is the lower part of the uterus which progressive thinned out during labour having property of receptive and poor retractile properly.
Sign and Symptoms of First Stage of Labor:
Symptoms:
- True labour pain,
- Show Sudden gush of liquor amnii (late part).
Signs:
- Pulse, BP and temperature raised.
- Per abdominal examination:
Contraction of the uterus:
- Intermittent.
- At early part interval between to contraction is 15-30 minutes with duration of 30 seconds, later occurs every 3 – 5 minutes interval duration of 45 seconds.
- Foetal heart sound: 120 – 140 beat/minutes increase by 10 beat during contraction.
P/V (Per- vaginal) examination:
- Cervix becomes dilated (gradual dilatation from 2-10 cm)
- Gradual effacement of the cervix.
- Status of the membrane-usually rupture at the late part of the first stage.
- Bulging of the membrane during contraction (if the membrane is not ruptured).
Complications of First Stage of Labor:
All the complications of first stage of labour have pointed out in the below:
- Early rupture of menbranes with or without cord prolapsed,
- Hypotonic uterine contraction or incoordinate uterine contraction,
- Cervix dystocia,
- Prolonged first stage due to unrecognized brow, minor degree hydrocephalus, mal-position, minor degree CPD, deflexed head etc.
- Foetal distress,
- Intra-partum hemorrhage,
- Cervical dystocia.
More questions related to this article:
- What do you mean by first stage of labour?
- Mention the phases of first stage of labour.
- Mention the events of first stage of labour.
- What are the clinical features of first stage of labour?
- What are the symptoms of first stage of labour?
- What are the complications of first stage of labour?
Maria Khatun Mona is a Founder and Editor of Nursing Exercise Blog. She is a Nursing and Midwifery Expert. Currently she is working as a Registered Nurse at Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has great passion in writing different articles on Nursing and Midwifery. Mail her at “maria.mona023@gmail.com”