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Labour and Birth

Overview of the three stages of labour

What is labour?

In a nutshell, labour can be described as the process by which a woman gives birth. Labour can start either spontaneously, i.e. by itself, or it can be induced, i.e. started artificially in hospital by medical assistance. Labour may need to be induced for a number of reasons and those will be examined in the chapter on Induced labour.

Spontaneous or normal labour is characterised by the onset of regular, painful contractions that result in the birth of the baby (or babies) and passage of the placenta and membranes through the birth canal. It starts somewhere between 37 and 42 weeks gestation and the whole process can take up to 18-24 hours. This timeframe is only indicative because the length of time will vary among women, depending on individual circumstances. With the advent of active management of labour, few women are in established labour for more than 12-14 hours. The process of labour is divided into three sequential stages:

  Video

Click on the thumbnail to view a video on the three stages of labour, based on one particular woman’s experience of labour and birth.