Labor is the bridge between
pregnancy & motherhood. For the woman in labor, this is the most intense
experience of pregnancy.
The process begins between
38 and 40th week. The exact cause of onset is not understood.
There are several hypothesis: Progesterone withdrawal →
relaxation of the myometrium, whereas estrogen stimulates myometrial
contractions and production of prostaglandins. As you will learn later, prostaglandin
E is used to induce labor.During
labor, prostagIandin →the connective tissue in the cervix to soften, thin out, and open
during labor. Oxytocin, a hormone produced by the pituitary, plays a
major role in the onset and maintenance of contractions during the labor
process. Corticotropin-releasing hormone makes the uterus more
sensitive to oxytocin and the prostaglandins. Different theories for one of
the most emotional experiences.
Start on Chapter 15. We’ll
cover parts Chapters 15 through 20. Each chapter has Key Terms at the
beginning and Chapter Highlights as summaries.