Through vaginal examination the nurse determines that a woman is 4 cm dilated, and the external fetal monitor shows uterine contractions every 3½ to 4 minutes. The nurse would report this as:

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The woman is 4 cm dilated and having contractions every 3½ to 4 minutes, which meets the criteria for the active phase of the first stage of labor. The latent phase is characterized by a slower rate of cervical dilation and contractions that are farther apart. The transition phase is characterized by more frequent and intense contractions and a cervical dilation of around 8-10 cm. The second stage of labor is the pushing stage, which occurs after complete cervical dilation.

Through Vaginal Examination the Nurse Determines That a Woman Is