What are the characteristics of uterine contractility?

If you ask me which factors may affect childbirth, most of my friends will give several answers, such as diet, lifestyle habits, illness, etc. In fact, people often overlook one point. Clinically, uterine contractions can greatly affect women's childbirth, so everyone must pay special attention. So, what are the characteristics of uterine contraction from a professional perspective?

The main sign of labor is regular uterine contractions, and the speed at which the uterine opening opens is closely related to the strength of the contractions. If there are regular and gradually increasing uterine contractions, lasting 30 seconds or more, with an interval of 5 to 6 minutes, the upper abdomen feels more comfortable than before, the amount of food intake increases significantly, the breathing is lighter than before, and there is a small amount of vaginal bleeding, these are all signs of delivery.

The entire delivery process for a first-time mother takes about 12 to 18 hours, and for some mothers it may take even longer due to certain reasons. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the fact that delivery is a process that requires waiting. Uterine contractions play a key role in shortening this waiting process.

As the uterine contraction intensifies, on the one hand, it can promote the expansion of the cervix and speed up the progress of labor; on the other hand, it also brings heaviness, soreness or tearing pain in the lower abdomen or lumbosacral area to the mother.

You should know that every contraction is accompanied by the dilation of the cervix and the descent of the baby, but these progress very slowly. Generally, it takes a long time for the cervix to dilate to 3 cm. Once it reaches 3 cm, the progress of labor will be much faster. Therefore, as long as the mother has confidence and tries her best to realize her potential, she can complete the entire delivery process smoothly under the guidance of the midwife.

Pain during childbirth is a natural physiological phenomenon, and current medical analgesics cannot solve the fundamental problem. Therefore, the best way to relieve pain is for the mother to have a correct understanding of the delivery process. When the mother feels the abdominal pain getting worse, she can try to take deep breaths or change her body position to distract her attention from the pain.

The discomfort before delivery varies from person to person, but most of them start with uterine contractions. 12% of pregnant women experience early water rupture before delivery. Regardless of the circumstances of water rupture, you should go to the hospital because water rupture can sometimes cause umbilical cord prolapse, especially when the presenting part is not large or has not descended to the pelvis. Therefore, pregnant women should come to the hospital for prenatal examinations in time to ensure the safety of mother and baby.

What are regular contractions like?