PART 1. READING
Exercise 1. Answer the questions.
1. What is the labour?
2. What are the signs of labour?
3. How long does the usual labour last?
Exercise 2. Describe the meaning of the statement: "Every woman's labour is different".
Exercise 3. Read the text and say if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. Labour is formally divided into three stages.
2. The third stage is delivery, which involves pushing and the actual birth of the baby.
3. The rupture of the membranes is usually a sign that delivery is far off.
4. In the second stage of labour, the cervix is fully dilated and ready for childbirth.
5. When delivery is in the way, the woman may be told to stop pushing, as a push( that is too forceful) could result in the baby?s head tearing the tissues of the vagina.
6. The second stage ends when the baby is born.
7. The baby is placed on the mother?s abdomen.
8. After the baby is delivered, the umbilical cord connecting the baby to the placenta inside the uterus is tied and clipped in two places - about 5cm and 10cm from the baby?s abdomen.
CHILDBIRTH (LABOUR)
Labour is the process of giving birth. It is formally divided into three stages. The first stage is labour, which has three phases: early, active, and transitional. The first stage ends with complete dilatation (opening) of the cervix. The second stage is delivery, which involves pushing and the actual birth of the baby. The third stage is delivery of the placenta or afterbirth. Childbirth is a natural process, and it, too, varies among women. The whole process averages about
14 hours for first-time mothers and about eight hours for mothers in their subsequent pregnancies.
Every woman's labour is different. Mothers and babies are monitored closely during labour. Most women are able to have a baby through normal vaginal delivery. If there are complications, the baby may need to be delivered surgically by the Caesarian section.