Labour and Delivery Quiz

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Which statement best defines the first stage of labour?

A The period from full cervical dilatation to delivery of the baby
B The interval between the onset of labour and full cervical dilatation ✓
C The period from full cervical dilatation to delivery of the placenta
D The phase characterised primarily by descent and rotation of the foetal head
E The period from the onset of regular contractions to delivery of the baby

The answer is B: The interval between the onset of labour and full cervical dilatation

Explanation

Why B is correct

See First Stage. Option B is correct. Labour is divided into three stages, each with a clear start and finish. The first stage runs from the onset of labour (regular, painful contractions that are producing change in the cervix) to full dilatation of the cervix, which is 10 cm. In this stage the cervix ripens (softens), effaces (shortens and thins) and dilates (opens), so that a birth canal is created for the baby to pass through. It has two phases. In the latent phase the cervix softens and dilates slowly, up to about 4 cm. In the active phase contractions become regular and strong and dilatation is faster, typically about 1 cm an hour in a first labour and about 2 cm an hour in later labours. Full dilatation is the boundary that marks the move into the second stage. The three stages in order are:

first stage, from the onset of labour to full (10 cm) dilatation of the cervix
second stage, from full dilatation to the delivery of the baby
third stage, from the delivery of the baby to the delivery of the placenta and membranes

Start: the first stage begins at the onset of labour, with regular painful contractions that change the cervix.
End: it ends at full dilatation of the cervix, which is 10 cm.
Phases: a slow latent phase up to about 4 cm, then a faster active phase.

Why the other options are incorrect

A. The period from full cervical dilatation to delivery of the baby: This describes the second stage, which begins at full dilatation and ends with the birth of the baby. It is the stage of expulsive contractions and pushing.
C. The period from full cervical dilatation to delivery of the placenta: This combines the second and third stages, starting at full cervical dilatation and running through to delivery of the placenta. The first stage ends at full dilatation, before the baby is born.
D. The phase characterised primarily by descent and rotation of the foetal head: Descent and rotation of the head continue in the second stage, which is the stage of pushing. The first stage is defined by changes in the cervix, not by descent and rotation of the head.
E. The period from the onset of regular contractions to delivery of the baby: This describes the whole of labour up to the birth of the baby, but the first stage ends earlier, at full cervical dilatation. The third stage begins only after delivery.

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More questions from this set. Start the quiz to answer them and see each explanation.

1
Which statement best describes the third stage of labour?
2
During an uncomplicated vaginal delivery with a vertex (head-first) presentation, which sequence of events normally follows crowning of the foetal head?

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