Labor, false

Labor, false
Intermittent non-productive muscular contractions of the womb (uterus) during pregnancy, most commonly in the last two months before full term. These contractions are non-productive in the sense that they do not produce any flattening (effacement) or dilation (opening up) of the cervix. It is often said that false contractions are for "practice," for getting the woman ready for true labor, but this is pure speculation since there is no convincing evidence that these contractions aid in the delivery of the baby in any way. An episode of false labor can surprise and concern a pregnant woman, especially when she experiences these contractions for the first time. But, by definition, these contractions are of limited duration and do not indicate the onset of active labor.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • False labor — Intermittent non productive muscular contractions of the womb (uterus) during pregnancy, most commonly in the last two months before full term. These contractions are non productive in the sense that they do not produce any flattening… …   Medical dictionary

  • False pregnancy — False pregnancy, most commonly termed pseudocyesis in humans and pseudopregnancy in other mammals, is the appearance of clinical and/or subclinical signs and symptoms associated with pregnancy when the person or animal is not pregnant. Clinically …   Wikipedia

  • Labor spies — are persons recruited or employed for the purpose of gathering intelligence, committing sabotage, sowing dissent, or engaging in other similar activities, typically within the context of an employer/labor organization relationship.Some of the… …   Wikipedia

  • labor — a labor of love easy false labor hard menial migrant organized painstaking performlabor physical productive prolonged protracted seasonal …   Combinatory dictionary

  • labor, labour — I n. work 1) to do, perform labor, labour 2) manual, physical; menial; painstaking; productive; sweated (BE), sweatshop; skilled; unskilled labor, labour 3) a division of labor, labour 4) (misc.) (a) division of labor, labour; a labor, labour of… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • Labor — Childbirth, the aptly named experience of delivering the baby and placenta from the uterus to the vagina to the outside world. There are two stages of labor. During the first stage (called the stage of dilatation), the cervix dilates fully to a… …   Medical dictionary

  • false labor — noun painless contractions of the muscles of the uterus that continue throughout pregnancy with increasing frequency • Syn: ↑Braxton Hicks contraction • Hypernyms: ↑contraction, ↑muscular contraction, ↑muscle contraction * * * noun : pains… …   Useful english dictionary

  • False quarter — Quarter Quar ter (kw[aum]r t[ e]r), n. [F. quartier, L. quartarius a fourth part, fr. quartus the fourth. See {Quart}.] 1. One of four equal parts into which anything is divided, or is regarded as divided; a fourth part or portion; as, a quarter… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • false labour — /fɔls ˈleɪbə/ (say fawls laybuh) noun painful contractions of the uterus, often erratic, during late pregnancy, not developing into the actual labour that results in childbirth; pre labour. Also, false labor …  

  • false labor — Obstet. irregular contractions of the uterus prior to actual labor and without accompanying dilation of the cervix. * * * …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”