Braxton Hicks contractions are uterine contractions that start in early pregnancy. Most don't notice them until sometime in the second or third trimester – and some women never notice them at all.

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, ...

If your contractions come regularly every 5 to 10 minutes, it's time to call your doctor. Watch for signs like your water breaking or bloody vaginal discharge, which indicate labor might be starting.

Scientists, for the first time, have identified a mechanism in the muscle cells of the uterus that could point to how contractions in childbirth grow stronger. It is understood that the hormone ...

Could that weird cramp in your belly be the start of labor—or is it just another bout of indigestion? Maybe it's the real deal, or maybe it's just Braxton Hicks. Can you even have contractions before ...