A first-time mother at 18 weeks of gestation comes for her regularly scheduled prenatal visit.The patient tells the nurse that she is afraid that she is going into premature labor because she is beginning to have regular contractions.The nurse explains that this is the Braxton Hicks sign and teaches the patient that this type of contraction:

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Uterine contractions can be felt through the abdominal wall soon after the fourth month of gestation.Braxton Hicks contractions are regular and painless and continue throughout the pregnancy.Although they are not painful,some women complain that they are annoying.Braxton Hicks contractions usually cease with walking or exercise.They can be mistaken for true labor; however,they do not increase in intensity or frequency or cause cervical dilation.In addition,they facilitate uterine blood flow through the intervillous spaces of the placenta and promote oxygen delivery to the fetus.

A First-Time Mother at 18 Weeks of Gestation Comes for Her