Labor Signs Overview

The onset of labor is the most anticipated event of pregnancy. Many pregnant women fear they will miss the early signs of labor and be unprepared for the delivery of their child. Fortunately, the body provides several clues that the onset of labor is approaching.

When to Seek Medical Care

It is important for you and your health care provider (family doctor, obstetrician, midwife, nurse practitioner, for example) to discuss what you will do when labor begins. You need to know which hospital or birthing center to go to, how long it takes you to get there, and what you will want to have packed and ready to go. Talk about this long before you expect to go into labor.

• Determining whether labor is real is not always easy, so you should not feel embarrassed if you go to the hospital and your symptoms turn out to be a false alarm.

• In a full-term pregnancy, women are often asked to call if they suspect rupture of their membranes (water breaking).

• Contractions are regular at 5 minutes apart.

• There is a sudden increase or decrease in fetal activity.

• False labor has the following traits:

• Irregular contractions

• Decreases with walking

• May ease with change of position

• No increase in frequency or intensity

• Discomfort located in abdomen only