Why false labor?

We all know that when a woman is about to give birth, the two most obvious symptoms are uterine contractions and amniotic fluid rupture. Uterine contractions not only occur when delivery is imminent. Some women also experience false uterine contractions in the second trimester of pregnancy, and some women experience uterine contractions in the late stages of pregnancy. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish true and false uterine contractions in order to understand the baby's condition in time. So why do false uterine contractions occur?

False labor, also called prolonged labor. Its characteristics are that the time of occurrence is irregular and the degree varies from time to time. Before delivery, false labor will become more and more frequent due to the traction stimulation of the lower uterine segment caused by the descending fetal head. During the 36th to 38th week of pregnancy, the myometrium is in an insensitive state and uterine contractions rarely occur. After this transition period, the refractory period of the uterus ends and a series of physiological changes are completed in preparation for delivery.

Starting from the 28th week of pregnancy, false 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 hardening from time to time. This is called false labor, which is characterized by irregular timing and varying degrees of intensity. Before delivery, false labor will become more and more frequent due to the traction stimulation of the lower uterine segment caused by the descending fetal head. In the late pregnancy, false labor may cause mild distension and pain in the lower abdomen. It often occurs in the dead of night and disappears at dawn. The frequency of contractions is inconsistent, the duration is not constant, the intervals are long and irregular, the intensity of contractions does not gradually increase, and there is no feeling of falling, and the symptoms are relieved during the day.

False labor indicates that pregnant women will soon go into labor, so they should be prepared, such as getting enough rest and eating more high-energy foods such as chocolate to conserve their energy. The contractions before delivery are rhythmic. Each contraction goes from weak to strong and lasts for a period of time, usually 30-40 seconds. After disappearing, it enters an interval period of 5-6 minutes. At the beginning, the pain occurred two or three times in half an hour, each time lasting 45 seconds, which was still bearable. Later, it became twice in 10 minutes, each time lasting 2-3 minutes. Only then did it truly turn into effective uterine contraction, and the cervix would gradually open under such contraction. There will be pain during contractions and a tightness when you touch your belly. If you have labor pains and spotting or discharge, these are symptoms of labor.