Question

What is parturition?

Answer 1

• Childbirth is also called labour, or parturition (child-birth and the expulsion of the afterbirth), and induced by a complex neuroendocrine mechanism.
• Average duration of human pregnancy is about nine months which is called the gestation period.
• Repeated forceful contraction of the uterus at the end of pregnancy causes expulsion/delivery of the foetus (childbirth), called as parturition.
• Process of normal human childbirth can be classified in three stages of labour:
  • 1^st Stage - complete dilation of the cervix (cervical opening widens)
  • 2^nd Stage - uterine contractions occur repeatedly, baby emerges
  • 3^rd Stage - expelling of afterbirth (placental expulsion) - placenta and its membranes are delivered