Childbirth depends not just on hormones, but on the uterus’s ability to sense physical force. Scientists found that pressure ...

Molecular discoveries may help improve treatments for labor and pain. When labor starts, the uterus must produce steady, precisely timed contractions to allow a safe delivery. Hormones such as ...

This mom could give labor in her sleep. Beccaa Areli slept through her contractions, and later gave birth to her daughter in a car on the way to the hospital. She posted about the “craziest experience ...

Researchers have developed a new imaging tool, called electromyometrial imaging (EMMI), to create real-time, three-dimensional images and maps of contractions during labor. The non-invasive imaging ...

When contractions started in the middle of an ordinary day in Wisconsin, a math teacher expecting a routine hospital delivery ...

Contractions and dilation (opening) of the cervix before 37 weeks of pregnancy are considered preterm, or premature, labor. A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks after the first day of the last ...

Not all early contractions mean labor. Learn what preterm labor looks like, and when to call your provider to keep you and your baby safe.

There's a big learning curve when it comes to pregnancy. For many expecting parents, just thinking about contractions can be nerve-wracking because they are associated with pain and the start of labor ...