In preparation for the birth of your baby, your cervix effaces (thins and stretches) and dilates (opens) so your baby can fit through the birth canal. This cervical ripening can begin days or even ...

After months of anticipation, your baby's due date is near. Here's what you can expect from the start of labor until the first days and weeks with your new baby. No one can predict with certainty when ...

You've made it through nine(ish) months of pregnancy, and now the big day has arrived: Your baby's birthday! You might be eager to take on the stages of labor, or you may be nervous about what's to ...

Labor or childbirth can be described as a fetus and placenta delivered from the uterus via the vagina. Having a successful labor can be dependent on three factors, including maternal effort and ...

Here's what happens during each stage of labor – from how long each stage lasts to what you might feel. Labor happens in three stages — early labor and dilation, pushing and delivery, and finally, ...

Delivering a baby is hard work. Aptly named labor, the process before childbirth can be physically and emotionally taxing — and even painful. While no two patients experience labor and delivery ...