Humans prepare for labor and delivery by accumulating a gestation period of approximately 280 days (40 weeks). Why do labor pains occur and when do they occur? At present, there is no theory that can comprehensively explain and analyze it. In the early days, it was believed that labor pains and childbirth were caused by the fetus in the womb thinking that the environment outside the womb was better than the environment inside the womb, so it was eager to come out. Later, I tried to explore the mystery of labor pain from various angles: such as placental factors, maternal factors, immune factors, endocrine factors between mother and fetus, etc., but I was never able to come up with a satisfactory theory. Likewise, it remains clinically impossible to predict when irregular and sporadic uterine contractions will turn into intense, regular labor pains. Therefore, the current definition of \”labor pain\” refers to a series of coordinated and efficient involuntary uterine contractions, which result in the continuous thinning and expansion of the cervix, ultimately leading to the expulsion of the products of pregnancy.
Theory is theory. Things that are more relevant to pregnant women are: What should we pay attention to?
Sign 1: Fetal movement
In late pregnancy, due to the rapid growth of the fetus, the amniotic fluid decreases, and the space for fetal movement is relatively reduced, so fetal movements will also be significantly reduced. How much fetal movement is considered safe? In fact, there is no conclusion yet, because the amount of fetal movement varies from person to person, and each mother’s subjective experience is also different. Research shows that it takes an average of 2.7 hours a day to feel 10 fetal movements. Therefore, some experts suggest that as long as you feel fetal movement 10 times within 2 hours, you can relax. Or count for one hour at a fixed time every day. If the number of fetal movements is within the average, you can rest assured. On the contrary, if the number of fetal movements increases significantly or decreases by more than 50%, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Sign 2: Relaxation
The pressure in the upper abdomen is reduced. This is because the fetal head descends into the pelvic cavity, so breathing becomes smoother and the discomfort of eating and drinking is also improved. Most primiparous women (who are having their first baby) will feel this change between 36 and 38 weeks, but not multiparous women (who are not having their first baby). This is when you can start to watch for redness, water breaking, or the onset of labor pains.
Sign 3: Redness or bleeding
This is a mucusy, bloody discharge from the cervix that becomes thin and soft. It is pink or dark red. If the blood volume is small, there is no need to be admitted to the hospital for the time being, just continue to observe. According to statistics, labor pains will begin within a week after falling red.