What is the last stage of labor?

Answer 1

The process of labor and birth is divided into three stages:

The first stage begins with the onset of contractions that cause progressive changes in your cervix and ends when your cervix is fully dilated. This stage is divided into two phases: early (or latent) and active labor.

During early labor, your cervix gradually effaces (thins out) and dilates (opens).

During active labor, your cervix begins to dilate more rapidly and contractions are longer, stronger, and closer together. People often refer to the last part of active labor as "transition."

The second stage of labor begins once you're fully dilated and ends with the birth of your baby. This is sometimes referred to as the "pushing" stage.

The third and final stage begins right after the birth of your baby and ends with the separation and subsequent delivery of the placenta.

Every pregnancy is different, and there's wide variation in the length of labor. For first-time moms who are at least 37 weeks along, labor often takes between ten and 20 hours. For some women, though, it lasts much longer, while for others it's over much sooner. Labor generally progresses more quickly for women who've http://wiki.answers.com/0_pregnant-again-what-to-expect-this-time-around_10305185.bcvaginally.