Signs of True Labor

Unlike common concerns from the prodromal signs of labor, signs of true labor are the one that
involves the uterine and cervical changes. In line with these, a woman must recognize these signs
because it will very helpful to prevent preterm birth and so that the woman to feel secure
knowing her condition during her labor.

Uterine Contractions
The surest sign that the labor has begun is productive uterine contractions because of
the reason that the contractions are involuntary that comes without warning. Its
intensity can be worse in early labor.
Helping the woman recognize the next one will occur can be a help to control the
degree of discomfort she feels mainly by using breathing exercises that could offer
her a sense of well-being.

Differentiation between True and False Contraction

False Contraction True Contractions

Begin and remain irregular
Felt first abdominally and remain confined to
the abdomen and groin.
Often disappear with ambulation and sleep
Do not increase in duration, frequency or
intensity.
Do not achieve cervical dilation
Begin irregularly but become regular and
predictable
Felt first in lower back and sweep around to
the abdomen in a wave
Continue no matter what the womans level of
activity
Increase in duration, frequency and intensity
Achieve cervical dilation

Show

When the cervix softens and ripens, the mucus plug that filled the cervical canal
during pregnancy (operculum) is expelled.
Exposed cervical capillaries seep blood as a result of pressure exerted by the
uterus.
The blood, mixed with mucus, takes on a pink tinge and is referred to as show
or bloody show
Woman must be aware of this event because they might think that they are
bleeding abnormally.
 Rupture of the Membrane
Labor may begin with rupture of the membranes, experienced either as a sudden
gush or scanty, slow seeping of clear fluid from the vagina.
Some women worries when labor begins with the rupture of the membranes
knowing that the labor will be dry and could cause some difficulties and
longevity.
Amniotic fluid continues to produce until delivery of the membranes after the
birth of the fetus. With that, no labor is actually dry.
Early rupture of membranes can be an advantage because it causes the fetal head
to settle snugly into the pelvis; resulting to actually shortening of labor.
Two risks associated with ruptured membrane: intrauterine infection &
prolapsed of the umbilical cord that can cut off the oxygen supply to the fetus.
In some instances, if labor has not spontaneously occurred by 24 hrs. after
membrane rupture and the pregnancy is at term, labor is induced to help reduce
these risks.