Synonyms
Childbirth; Labor and delivery
Definition
The birth process is the time period from the start of productive contractions to birth. The process is typically divided into three stages.
Description
Parturition, the process of uterine, cervical, and other changes that brings on labor, typically begins about 2 weeks before delivery as a result of hormonal changes.
Stage 1: Dilation and Effacement of the Cervix
In the first stage of the birthing process, uterine contractions occur approximately three to four times an hour and typically last for a period of 1 m. As the first stage progresses, contractions become more frequent and intense and water eruption occurs. As a result of these contractions, the woman’s cervix (the opening into the birth canal) stretches, opens, and thins [1, 2, 4]. By the end of the first stage, the cervix (or uterine opening) has been dilated to about four inches [2, 4]. This widening allows the baby to move from the uterus to the birth canal (vagina). The...
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References
Berk, L. E. (2006). Child development (7th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
Papalia, D. E., Gross, D., & Feldman, R. D. (2003). Child development: A topical approach. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Patterson, C. J. (2008). Child development. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Santrock, J. W. (2007). Child development (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Grizzle, R. (2011). Birth Process. In: Goldstein, S., Naglieri, J.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_360
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_360
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-77579-1
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