Is it normal for contractions to last a long time?

Uterine contraction refers to the contraction of the uterus. Normal people will not experience uterine contractions. Pregnant women will have uterine contractions when they are preparing to give birth. At the beginning, there are only a few brief contractions. As time goes by, they begin to gradually become more severe. Some contractions can occur as often as once every ten minutes or once every five minutes. The more frequent the contractions, the more likely it is that delivery is imminent.

What is the contraction time?

Uterine contraction duration refers to the length of time that the uterus undergoes regular contractions. Pregnant women will feel that each contraction becomes stronger and stronger, and after a certain period of time, it gradually weakens and disappears. After that, the interval between two contractions gradually shortens, and the duration of contractions gradually increases.

Uterine contractions initially occur every 20-30 minutes, gradually shortening to every 15 minutes, 10 minutes or even every 5 minutes, and the duration of contractions increases from the initial 20 seconds to 40 seconds or even 1 minute. When experiencing uterine contractions, mothers must not be overly nervous. They should relieve the pain by diverting their attention and maintain a good attitude at all times for the arrival of the baby.

It should be noted that pregnant women themselves should also pay special attention to recording the regularity, duration, interval time and intensity of uterine contractions, and actively cooperate with doctors. The most convenient way to check uterine contractions is to place your palms on the abdominal wall. During contractions, the uterine body will bulge and harden, and will relax and soften during the intervals. In addition, the contraction curve recorded with a Tianer monitor can also show the contraction intensity, frequency and duration of each contraction. If the pregnant woman feels more pain, she should gently rub her lower abdomen with both hands to relieve it. If there is bloating and pain in the lumbar region, she can press the lumbar region with both fists. She should listen carefully to the doctor's instructions.

Duration of contractions

Almost every expectant mother will experience uterine contractions before giving birth. Uterine contractions are uncomfortable and everyone will feel pain. At the beginning, each contraction is short and the intervals between contractions are long. Then the contractions will become longer and longer, the intervals between contractions will become shorter and shorter, and the pain will become more and more intense. So how long do contractions last?

At the beginning of labor, uterine contractions are short (about 20 to 30 seconds) and weak, with longer intervals (5 to 6 minutes). As labor progresses, especially in the late active phase, uterine contractions last longer (40 to 50 seconds) and increase in intensity, with gradually shorter intervals (2 to 3 minutes). When the cervix is ​​fully dilated, contractions can last up to 1 minute, with an interval of only 1 to 2 minutes. Each contraction will bring pain, and the stronger the contraction, the more severe the pain. Expectant mothers should treat the pain during contractions correctly, especially older mothers. When the contractions become stronger, it means that your labor force is good and the success rate of natural childbirth is greater.

Inter-contraction time

When the contractions cause you slight pain, it will pass after a while, and gradually the pain will intensify, the intervals will shorten and the pain will last longer. The contractions will come like waves, and the pain will spread to the lower abdomen or you will feel back pain and a feeling of defecation. This kind of contraction is in preparation for the birth of the baby, and expectant mothers do not need to worry too much. Considering the upcoming arrival of the baby, this little pain is nothing. Let’s learn about the interval between contractions.

At the beginning of labor, the intervals between contractions are long, about 10 minutes, and the duration is short, about 30 seconds.

As labor progresses, the interval time gradually becomes shorter, to only 3 to 5 minutes, and the duration gradually increases to 50 to 60 seconds. The intensity of contractions continues to increase, and when the cervix is ​​about to dilate, the interval time between full-time contractions is shortened to 1 to 2 minutes, and the duration can reach more than 1 minute. The continuous strengthening of uterine contractions forms an effective downward impact force, and the cervical opening expands from a diameter of less than 1 cm to a full diameter of 10 cm. At this time, the birth canal becomes a curved cylindrical wide tube. The fetal membrane usually ruptures at this time, and 300 to 500 ml of amniotic fluid flows out.