Contractions are the tightening and relaxation of the uterine muscles. Contractions usually start at the back and radiate to the front, making the abdomen very hard to the touch. Some women say that they feel the contractions in the lower back area. Others go through severe menstrual cramps or gas pains.

A contraction gradually builds until it reaches a peak or its strongest point and then subsides, causing many women to describe it like a wave.

Contractions are intermittent--they come every once in a while---with a rest period following each one. As the patient thinks about timing contractions, time from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next.


See Also: No articles yet

Referenced By: No articles yet