Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Pre-labor
Introduction
Overview
Pre-labor, also called “Prodromal Labor” is the early signs before labor starts. It is the body’s preparation for real labour.
Prodromal Labor has been misnamed as “false-labor”. Prodromal labor begins much as traditional labor but does not progress to the birth of the baby. Not everyone feels this stage of labor, though it does always occur. However, this does not mean that every woman will experience every symptom. The term is used to describe a cluster of physical changes that may place in a pregnant woman before she goes into real labor, such as an increase in blood volume (sometimes resulting in oedema), braxton hicks contractions, the presence of colostrum in the breasts, and the dislodging of the mucous plug that has sealed the cervix during the pregnancy.
The term “false labor” is sometimes used to describe a cluster of Braxton Hicks contractions that are mistaken for real labor.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]