How long do contractions usually last?

Uterine contractions are a signal of impending birth, but not all uterine contractions are like this. Some may just be false contractions, which we often call false contractions in our daily lives. So, what is the cause of false labor? How long do false labor contractions usually last?

How long do false labor contractions usually last?

False labor lasts for a very long time. In the later stages of pregnancy, false labor is a common condition. Pregnant women can identify it if they pay close attention and do not need to be overly nervous. If a pregnant woman stands or sits in the same posture for a long time, she will feel her abdomen hardening from time to time. This is called false labor. False labor, also known as altered uterine contraction, occurs at different intervals between uterine contractions, possibly every ten minutes or more than an hour, without any regularity, and the duration of each contraction is also different, ranging from more than ten minutes to more than ten minutes. Especially when the pregnant mother feels tired or excited, this phenomenon is more likely to occur. It is one of the signs of imminent delivery, but it is different from the regular uterine contractions before the real delivery, so it is also called "false labor", which occurs 2-3 weeks before delivery. During labor, false labor will occur more and more frequently because the lower part of the uterus is stretched and stimulated by the descending fetal head. If the above symptoms only occur occasionally and do not last long, and there is no vaginal bleeding, there is no need to worry, as it is mostly normal. If the above symptoms occur frequently and in a short period of time, and there are obvious abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, etc., you need to go to the hospital immediately to see a doctor to avoid accidents.

It is recommended that pregnant women in the late stages of pregnancy should be careful to avoid walking long distances and not standing for too long. If you have time, carefully record every regular fetal movement. In addition, appropriately signing up for some childbirth courses and learning more about the relevant content will make pregnant mothers feel more stable and their mood will be more relaxed.

When false labor occurs frequently, pay attention to the following:

1. Don't blindly use drugs for their fetal stabilization effects.

2. Do not touch your belly when false labor occurs, especially when there is uterine contraction, so as to reduce the stimulation to the uterus or fetus.

3. If false labor occurs frequently, stay in bed and rest as much as possible, and reduce activity.

4. If false labor occurs frequently and lower back pain and abdominal pain occur, you should go to the hospital for a physical examination immediately.

It can be seen from this that frequent false labor requires great attention. So, what should we do if false labor occurs frequently? Of course, you cannot take medicine casually to relieve the pain, nor can you find a small clinic or private doctor to deal with it. The scientific solution should be to go to a reliable hospital for pregnancy check-up immediately, and do it according to the doctor's advice to prevent risks.

Causes of false labor

In the weeks before delivery, the uterine muscles are more sensitive and contractions may be irregular, short-lived, weak, or limited to the lower abdomen or groin. If it stops after several hours, it will not cause the cervix to dilate or the fetal head to drop, so it is not before delivery and is called false labor. This type of uterine contraction is non-cyclical, irregular, and painless. Some pregnant women can even feel irregular uterine contractions during pregnancy. It is more common in primiparas than in primiparas.

Clinical symptoms:

1. In the second half of pregnancy, as the enlarged uterus begins to descend and the lowered position of the fetal head increases the pressure on the pelvis, pregnant women often feel their abdomen falling and their backs bending. Starting from the 28th week of pregnancy, false labor contractions will often occur in the abdomen. If a pregnant woman stands or sits in the same posture for a long time, she will feel her abdomen stiffening from time to time. This is called false labor.

2. A few weeks before delivery, the uterine muscles are more sensitive, and irregular contractions may occur, lasting for a short time, with weak force, or only confined to the lower part of the uterus. It stops after several hours and cannot dilate the cervix, so it is not before delivery and is called false labor.

3. During labor, false labor will occur more and more frequently due to the expansion stimulation of the lower uterus caused by the descending fetal head.