Stages of Labour
Hi, my name is Philippa, and I’m one of the midwives at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. In this video, I’ll be talking to you about what happens in your body during the early stages of labour.
A term pregnancy lasts between 37 and 42 weeks. If your baby is born within this window, it’s considered full term.
Imagine your uterus. During pregnancy, it increases in size twentyfold. At the opening of your uterus is your cervix, a long, thin tube that remains closed during pregnancy to prevent infection.
As your body prepares for labour, your cervix moves into a more forward-facing position and begins to soften. If this is your first baby, the opening of your cervix happens in two distinct stages.
The first stage is called effacement, where the cervix is drawn up into the uterus. As the uterus contracts, it puts pressure on the cervix, shortening it and drawing it upward.
Once the cervix is fully effaced, it begins to dilate. It opens up to 10 centimeters, which is considered fully dilated and signals that your baby is ready to be born.
Midwives break down labour into four distinct stages to plan your care. The latent stage of labour is when the cervix effaces and dilates to about 4 to 5 centimeters. This stage can take up to a week, and you may not even realize you’re in it.
The active first stage is when the cervix dilates from about 4 to 5 centimeters to 10 centimeters. The second stage is when, once fully dilated, your baby moves down the birth canal and is born. The third stage is the delivery of the placenta and membranes.