How long do contractions last before labor begins?

Although cesarean section technology is becoming more and more popular, many pregnant women will choose cesarean section for delivery, but natural delivery is still better for the fetus's health, so a small number of pregnant women will choose natural delivery. When choosing natural childbirth, uterine contraction is a very important physiological manifestation, because frequent uterine contractions will cause pain, thereby promoting the fetus to slide out of the mother's birth canal. Generally speaking, how long will the contractions last before a smooth birth can take place?

How long does it take for regular uterine contractions to give birth? Below we will introduce to you the natural childbirth process and detailed steps. The "cervical dilation period" refers to the period from the onset of regular uterine contractions in the parturient to the time when the cervical opening dilates to 10 centimeters, which is commonly referred to as "dilation to 10 fingers." At the beginning of labor, the uterus contracts once every 10 minutes or so and lasts for a very short time; gradually, the contractions become more and more frequent, occurring once every 2 to 3 minutes, each lasting about 1 minute, and the strength of the contractions also increases significantly; the cervix gradually opens wider until it expands to 10 cm wide, which means the cervix is ​​fully dilated, and the first stage of labor ends.

When the uterus begins to contract, the mother will feel the uterus hardening, pain in the lower abdomen or waist, and a feeling of falling. Because everyone's physical condition is different and their sensitivity to pain is different, different people have different feelings and tolerance for this stage. Generally, for first-time mothers, the cervix is ​​tighter and the uterine opening dilates more slowly, so the first stage of labor takes about 11 to 12 hours. For mothers who have given birth before, the cervix is ​​looser and the uterine opening dilates more quickly, so the first stage of labor takes about 6 to 8 hours.

The rate of cervical dilation is not uniform. Before the cervix dilates to 3 cm, it is in the latent period, with an average 1 cm dilation every two hours, and the slowest rate is 1 cm every 4 hours. When the cervix dilates to 3 to 10 cm, it is in the active period, with the rate of cervical dilation accelerating, with an average 2 cm dilation per hour, and the slowest rate is 1 cm per hour. Cervical dilation is a slow process. If the cervix never fully opens in a short period of time, it will be accompanied by strong uterine contractions, the pain will be more severe, and fetal distress may occur, so expectant mothers should not be anxious.