Labor in Pregnancy

Find out what the four signs or symptoms typical of the onset of labor are!

It is not always possible to determine the exact date when the pregnant woman will give birth. When the delivery is near, the woman feels a series of signals that serve as a warning, if she knows how to recognize them. These signs or symptoms of childbirth include fetal descent, detachment of the mucous plug, rupture of the amniotic fluid pocket, and contractions.

Many women wonder if they will know or not recognize when the moment of delivery has arrived, but there are some typical signs that announce the proximity of the birth of the baby. Most women give birth between weeks 38 and 42 of pregnancy when it is considered that the pregnancy has come to term. But it is difficult to know the exact moment of the start of labor.

The probable date of delivery (FPP) is no more than an approximate idea whose calculation is based on a forty-week count from the first day of the last menstruation. It is not uncommon for labor to start a few days or even a few weeks before, or after, the expected date. Not all women go through all the symptoms of childbirth necessarily, although it is common for the mother to feel, if not all, at least several signs.

Here are the most frequent and unambiguous signs that labor is near.


1. The decline of the fetus

The descent of the fetus occurs in first-time mothers a few weeks before delivery. In women who have already had children, it may occur shortly before the birth begins. You will notice a greater lightness, especially at the time of digesting the food, and also when breathing. It is also likely that you feel frequent urination. This is because the fetus, now located at the lowest point of the pelvis, presses on your bladder.

2. A detachment of mucous plug

The mucous plug is a substance especially thick and brown, secreted by the glands in the cervical canal, which blocks the entrance to the uterus through the cervix. The loss of the plug does not mean that delivery is imminent, although it does indicate that it is close. The woman may expel him until one or two weeks before the start of labor, or he may be expelled on the same day of birth. Some women do not even notice that they have expelled him. After the detachment of the mucous plug, it is recommended to avoid bathing and sexual intercourse, since the fetus is much more exposed to infections.

3. Rupture of the amniotic fluid bag

The bag of amniotic fluid breaks down due to the pressure exerted by the head of the fetus on its membranes or as a result of the first contractions. This situation is known as " breaking waters ". You will know that you have broken water when you expel through the vagina a clear and watery liquid, usually abundant and odorless. When this happens, go to the hospital because the delivery will be about to begin.

4. Regular contractions

The appearance of increasingly intense contractions at regular intervals indicates that dilation has begun. They are an unequivocal sign that the birth process has started, so you should go to the hospital immediately. In any case, the gynecologist will inform you about when to go to maternity, which will also depend on whether your pregnancy or delivery requires any special attention.