. A treatise on obstetrics for students and practitioners . ormal cases. The gradual fitting of the foetus 182 PREGNANCY AND LABOR. into the pelvis goes on for days and weeks before its active expulsionbegins. It might be reasonable to include this process under the termof labor, but use restricts the term to the actual expulsion of the subjective signs of labor result from uterine contractions. Thepain is often ill-defined in the lower portion of the abdomen, and maybe at first ascribed to indigestion. As the greater part of births occurduring the night, the patient very commonly bl
. A treatise on obstetrics for students and practitioners . ormal cases. The gradual fitting of the foetus 182 PREGNANCY AND LABOR. into the pelvis goes on for days and weeks before its active expulsionbegins. It might be reasonable to include this process under the termof labor, but use restricts the term to the actual expulsion of the subjective signs of labor result from uterine contractions. Thepain is often ill-defined in the lower portion of the abdomen, and maybe at first ascribed to indigestion. As the greater part of births occurduring the night, the patient very commonly blames some indigestiblearticle of food eaten during the past day. The pains, however, be-come periodic and gradually spread to the back, to the region knowncommonly as the small of the back. These pains become strongerat regular intervals, apparently arising from the back and extendingaround to the pubic region. Examination at this period may fail todiscover dilatation of the os or may find the os partially dilated andthe cervix partially effaced. Fig. The engagement of the head in normal labor. (Faraboeuf and Vaeniee.) A discharge which becomes tinged with blood occurs as soon(as thecervix begins to dilate. This is commonly called the show, ^ and isusually regarded as a sign that actual labor has begun. The amountof mucus which is poured out in the genital canal as labor proceeds issometimes indicative of the normal progress of labor. In cases wherethis secretion is absent the course of labor may be retarded very con-siderably. The progress of labor at this stage may be noted by observ-ing that the pains become more severe, the iutervals between themshorter, while the patient soon gives evidence of a desire to adopt aposture that shall best favor the descent of the child through thepelvis. It will be found at this stage of labor that patients naturally NORMAI< LABOR AND ITS MANAGEMENT. 183 bend forward, often leaning the upper portion of the body against theback of a ch
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectobstetrics, bookyear1
