You've made it through nine(ish) months of pregnancy, and now the big day has arrived: Your baby's birthday! You might be eager to take on the stages of labor, or you may be nervous about what's to ...

Stage 1: up until descent of the fetal head to the pelvic floor Stage 2: active expulsion of the baby Stage 3: expulsion of the placenta Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) refers to excessive blood loss ...

There may be twists and turns as your labor unfolds. But knowing what you might encounter can help you navigate this exciting but potentially challenging experience. Credit...Shawna X Supported by By ...

In preparation for the birth of your baby, your cervix effaces (thins and stretches) and dilates (opens) so your baby can fit through the birth canal. This cervical ripening can begin days or even ...

Duration of second-stage labor was more than 2 hours longer when epidural anesthesia was given during labor for both nulliparous and multiparous women, according to a retrospective cohort study ...

What Are the Stages of Labor? Labor is the body’s natural process of childbirth. It lasts on average 12 to 24 hours for a first birth. Usually, labor is shorter for births after that. Labor happens in ...

Research has demonstrated that epidural medication had no effect on the duration of the second stage of labor, normal vaginal delivery rate, incidence of episiotomy, the position of the fetus at birth ...

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . Despite the long-held belief that epidurals prolong labor, new research demonstrates that epidurals have no ...

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Active management consists of using controlled cord traction to expel the placenta immediately after delivery and administering early uterotonics to contract the uterus soon after the birth of the ...