Pregnant Birth Labor

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Contractions begin and the cervix gradually opens. See the stages of labor and watch a baby being born.
Prepare for labor and delivery with our free childbirth class .
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Narrator: In the weeks before birth, your body slows down production of the hormone, progesterone, while increasing production of other hormones, including prostaglandins, which soften the cervix, and oxytocin, which triggers the uterine muscles to contract.
True labor contractions are rhythmic and painful and grow consistently stronger. As the long vertical muscle bands of the uterus tighten, they pull the cervix open. The strong muscles at the top of the uterus push down and release, guiding your baby toward the cervix.
The mucus plug, a collection of thickened cervical mucus that sealed your cervix shut for nine months, may be expelled days before or in the midst of labor.
When the amniotic sac ruptures, your water has broken, it can feel like a trickle or a gush fluid.
Your cervix will begin opening and thinning known as dilation and effacement. Once you reach about four centimeters, your body will move into active labor. In active labor, contractions becomes stronger and closer together.
At eight centimeters, you enter what many consider the most painful part of labor, transition.
By 10 centimeters, you're fully dilated and may feel the urge to push, this is your signal that the second stage of labor has begun. Your baby will move down with each contraction.
The three separate soft bones of their head will temporarily overlap, so they can pass through the snug birth canal. Your baby's scalp will come into view, when the widest part of the head is visible, your baby is crowning. With several more pushes, your baby's face, shoulders, and body will emerge. In the third and final stage of labor, your placenta detaches and is expelled.
With your baby's first breath, the incredible journey of birth is complete.

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies .

March of Dimes. 2014. Stages of labor. http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/stages-of-labor.aspx [Accessed October 2016]
NIH. 2012. What are the stages of labor? National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/labor-delivery/topicinfo/Pages/stages.aspx [Accessed October 2016]
OWH. 2010. Labor and birth. U.S. Office on Women’s Health. http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-beyond/labor-birth.html [Accessed October 2016]
UpToDate. 2016. Management of normal labor and delivery. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/management-of-normal-labor-and-delivery [Accessed October 2016]

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This is a vital guide for prospective parents. With its clarity, medical wisdom, and calm narration, it keeps worries at bay.
What really makes this a great read are the in-depth chapters covering topics like exercise, trimester tests and their accuracy, labor complications, stillbirth, and nutrition.

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Looking for a book to guide you through planning your pregnancy, giving birth, and recovering afterward? For trusted, in-depth advice, turn to Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month from ACOG.
Available from Amazon , Walmart , Target , Barnes & Noble , and other retailers.
Winner in the women's health category of the 2021 International Book Awards .
Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month offers the latest medical guidelines in straightforward, easy-to-read language to help you make the best decisions for you and your pregnancy. Features include illustrations that show the location and development of a fetus at every stage. There’s also a chapter of Frequently Asked Questions and important tools you can use when talking with your ob-gyn, including
a medical history form to review before your first prenatal care visit
a form to track possible exposure to toxic or harmful things at home or work
a checklist for tracking symptoms or concerns during the postpartum period
a chart to note contact information for friends, family, and health care providers who will help you during the postpartum period
Your Pregnancy and Childbirth encourages you to
learn about prepregnancy health and planning, pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period
use the information you learn to talk with your ob-gyn and others who may care for you during pregnancy
be an empowered, active decision-maker in your care
Using the latest research and drawing on their own experience caring for pregnant women, the nation's ob-gyns provide answers to your questions about pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
What's going on in my body during each month of pregnancy?
How can I be as healthy as possible for myself and my baby?
What signs and symptoms should prompt me to call my ob-gyn?
Where is the safest place to give birth?
What pain-relief options are available for labor and delivery?
How are medical conditions managed during pregnancy?
How can I take care of myself in the weeks after giving birth?
How does COVID-19 affect doctor visits, travel during pregnancy, and breastfeeding?
Pregnancy is a life-changing experience. Get the answers and support you need from Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month .

Available from Amazon , Walmart , Target , Barnes & Noble , and other retailers.
Winner in the women's health category of the 2021 International Book Awards .
Silver medal in the parenting category of the Independent Publisher Book Awards .
Honorable mention in the health category of the Eric Hoffer Book Awards .
Honorable mention in the non-fiction parenting category of the Readers' Favorite Book Awards .
"After becoming a mom I realize that there is so much one needs to know while expecting a baby...and a book that is put together by the experts is a savior!" —Gazala Siddiq, Instagram
"In clearly phrased and precisely detailed chapters, readers are given all the medical, nutritional, procedural, and psychological knowledge they’ll require, with no jargon, no omissions, and plenty of confident encouragement." —Kirkus Reviews
"There are obviously a lot of pregnancy books out there, but this book by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) will truly be a game-changer for women. It focuses on shared decision-making in healthcare, so women can feel empowered in their choices rather than having medical decisions dictated to them." —Chelsea, Instagram
"I appreciated in particular the section on giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic, as that has changed so many things about how hospital birth happens. As a doula, I know my clients have had these things at the forefront of their minds and ACOG addressing these concerns directly is much needed." —Bethany Ruth B., NetGalley
"If you’re a first time mom, or just looking for a refresher course in pregnancy and postpartum that’s a little more reliable than good ol’ google, definitely check out [this book]." —Katherine DeVries, Instagram
"The text is accompanied by many useful charts, graphs, and photographs. But the most illuminating supplement is a series of illustrations showing the exact size, location, and development of the fetus at every stage—not only where it is situated, but also what it can do." —Kirkus Reviews
"This is a vital guide for prospective parents. With its clarity, medical wisdom, and calm narration, it keeps worries at bay and helps ground mothers-to-be who are facing a plethora of one-sided or opinion-based pregnancy advice. The book acknowledges the difficulties that can occur at every stage, with unwavering, body-positive support." —Melissa Wuske, Foreword Reviews
"When you are thinking about starting a family, you want a book that is new, up to date, and represents diversity in the photographs and information. This book is a great reference tool." —Stephanie M., NetGalley
Copyright 2022 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read copyright and permissions information .

This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women's health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Read ACOG’s complete disclaimer .
Copyright 2022 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

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How does sepsis occur in pregnancy and after childbirth?
Are vaccines during pregnancy a good idea?
Is sepsis hard to detect during pregnancy or the postpartum period?
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Although pregnancy is the same for people worldwide, their safety varies greatly depending on where they live and the type of medical care they receive, if any.
Sepsis is an illness that can develop during pregnancy, as well as after delivery. Sepsis that occurs during pregnancy is called maternal sepsis. If it develops within six weeks of delivery, it is called postpartum sepsis or puerperal sepsis. Sometimes incorrectly called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body’s life-threatening inflammatory response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. Sepsis kills and disables millions, more than breast cancer, lung cancer, and stroke combined.
Sepsis and septic shock can result from an infection anywhere in the body, such as pneumonia , influenza , or urinary tract infections . Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly), and/or amputations .
Maternal and postpartum sepsis are more common in the developing countries, but they also do strike people in wealthier countries, including in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , sepsis is the second leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths. Between 2014 and 2017 infection or sepsis caused 12.7% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. Pregnancy-associated sepsis requires early detection, accurate diagnosis, and aggressive treatment. In the United Kingdom, a 2019 study found that sepsis accounted for as many as 25% of all maternal deaths in that country.
Sepsis can occur because of an infection related to the pregnancy or one that is totally unrelated, such as pneumonia or a urinary tract infection (UTI). A recent analysis of delivery hospitalizations and postpartum readmissions in the U.S. found that 23% of in-hospital deaths were related to sepsis. The most common infections that triggered maternal sepsis were caused by bacteria such as E. coli , but those who are pregnant are also at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 .
Sepsis can develop as the result of many complications. Here are just a few:
Anyone who is pregnant, has miscarried or a
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