What are the four factors that determine childbirth?

Under normal circumstances, whether a woman's delivery process is smooth or not is determined by the labor force, birth canal, fetus and the mental state of the mother. If there is a problem with any of these, the woman will have problems during delivery. Pregnant women must relax during delivery, try to maintain a normal diet, and sleep normally. Delivery is a very physically demanding thing, and relevant preparations need to be made in advance.

4 factors that affect childbirth

The labor force is the force that pushes the fetus, placenta, etc. out of the uterus. It is mainly provided by uterine contraction, and some also comes from the contraction of the abdominal muscles, diaphragm and levator ani muscles.

Uterine contraction is the main force of labor after delivery and runs through the entire process of delivery. It can force the cervical canal to gradually shorten until it disappears, the cervix to open, the fetal presenting part to descend, and the fetus and placenta to be delivered.

The contraction force of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm is an important auxiliary force for promoting the delivery of the fetus in the second stage of labor, and can also promote the delivery of the placenta in the third stage of labor.

The contraction force of the levator ani muscle can assist the presenting part of the fetus to rotate in the pelvic cavity and also assist in the expulsion of the placenta.

When the labor force is insufficient, too strong or uncoordinated, it may lead to a difficult labor.

The birth canal is the passage that the fetus must pass through during vaginal delivery, including the bony birth canal and the soft birth canal.

The bony birth canal refers to the pelvis. Its size and shape largely affect whether delivery can proceed smoothly. If the size and position of the fetal head do not match the size and shape of the maternal pelvis, it will be difficult for the fetal head to pass through the pelvis smoothly.

The soft birth canal includes the vagina, cervix, uterus and soft tissues of the pelvic floor.

The soft birth canal is usually tightly closed. During delivery, under the action of uterine contraction and the descending squeezing of the fetal head, the soft birth canal slowly expands. When the expansion reaches a diameter of 10 cm, the fetus can pass through. When there are abnormalities in the soft birth canal, such as edema, tumors, scar tissue, etc., it can lead to abnormal delivery.

Factors of the fetus itself, such as fetal size, fetal position and the presence of deformities, also have an important impact on delivery.

When the fetus weighs more than 4 kg, it is called macrosomia. Compared with normal-sized fetuses, giant babies have more difficulty passing through the mother's pelvis and are therefore more likely to have a difficult birth.

Even if the fetus is of normal size, if there are abnormal fetal positions such as abnormal head position, breech presentation, shoulder presentation, etc., it will be more difficult for the fetus to pass through the birth canal.

In addition, some fetal malformations, such as hydrocephalus and conjoined twins, can cause the fetal head or body to be too large, leading to difficult delivery.

The mental and psychological state of the mother also greatly affects the progress of delivery.

Emotions of anxiety, tension, fear and panic can cause the mother's heart rate to increase and her breathing to become rapid, leading to weak uterine contractions, slow cervical dilation, and prolonged labor, which can easily lead to danger.

Before giving birth, mothers can learn about childbirth-related knowledge, build confidence in childbirth, and try to adjust their mentality and emotions during childbirth to avoid excessive tension.