Essay On Normal Process Of Labor

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I. What is the normal process of labor? The process of labor can be divided into three stages. 1) The first stage begins when your uterus begins to contract and your cervix begins to thin and dilate. You may also notice your water begin to leak or the presence of a blood show which is the result of the mucous plug being expelled from the cervix. This phase is divided into two stages. During the early labor phase, the cervix will gradually thin and dilate. During the active labor phase, the cervix will continue dilate, more rapidly, and the contractions will last longer, be stronger, and come closer together. This phase is referred to as the transition period because the uterus and cervix are transitioning in readiness for delivery. 2) The second stage of labor…show more content…
Fetal stage of development. The final stage of development is called the fetal period of development. This stage takes place from the end of the embryonic period until the time of birth (or the 10th to 40th weeks of pregnancy). The most notable development during this stage is the dramatic change in size that takes place. When the baby becomes a fetus, it is less than an inch and a half long and weighs less than 1/10 of an ounce. By the time the baby is considered full term at 38 weeks, it will probably be over 20 inches long and weigh about 7 1/2 pounds on average. III. Describe the major threats to prenatal development In our sophisticated society, one would think threats to prenatal development would be nonexistent. However, even with modern technology at its most advanced state, there are still factors which prenatal development. Genetics, maternal drug use, and maternal disease are three major threats to prenatal development. Down syndrome is the most common genetic anomaly to occur during prenatal development. Typical features of Down syndrome include flattened facial features, heart defects, and mental retardation. The risk of having a child with Down syndrome increases with maternal

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