What occurs in the second stage of labor?

What occurs in the second stage of labor?

• A. The baby is being born
• B. Contractions cease
• C. The placenta is expelled
• D. The cervix closes

Answer: (A)

In the second stage of labor, the most significant event is that the baby is being born. This stage begins when the cervix is fully dilated (typically 10 centimeters) and ends with the delivery of the baby. During this phase, strong contractions help push the baby down the birth canal and out into the world. The mother may feel a strong urge to push, and this process is crucial as it directly involves the descent and eventual birth of the infant. The choice regarding contractions ceasing is incorrect, as contractions continue throughout this stage, becoming more intense and frequent to facilitate the delivery. The expulsion of the placenta happens in the third stage of labor, not the second, and the cervix does not close during labor; it remains dilated before closing postpartum. Understanding the stages of labor is essential for recognizing the physiological processes that occur during childbirth.

In the second stage of labor, the most significant event is that the baby is being born. This stage begins when the cervix is fully dilated (typically 10 centimeters) and ends with the delivery of the baby. During this phase, strong contractions help push the baby down the birth canal and out into the world. The mother may feel a strong urge to push, and this process is crucial as it directly involves the descent and eventual birth of the infant.

The choice regarding contractions ceasing is incorrect, as contractions continue throughout this stage, becoming more intense and frequent to facilitate the delivery. The expulsion of the placenta happens in the third stage of labor, not the second, and the cervix does not close during labor; it remains dilated before closing postpartum. Understanding the stages of labor is essential for recognizing the physiological processes that occur during childbirth.