Braxton Hicks contractions (redirected from False labour)

contraction /con·trac·tion/ (kon-trak´shun) a drawing together; a shortening or shrinkage.

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Braxton Hicks contractions  light, usually painless, irregular uterine contractions during pregnancy, gradually increasing in intensity and frequency and becoming more rhythmic during the third trimester.

carpopedal contraction  the condition due to chronic shortening of the muscles of the fingers, toes, arms, and legs in tetany.

cicatricial contraction  the shrinkage and spontaneous closing of open skin wounds.

clonic contraction  clonus.

hourglass contraction  contraction of an organ, as the stomach or uterus, at or near the middle.

isometric contraction  muscle contraction without appreciable shortening or change in distance between its origin and insertion.

Isotonic (A) and isometric (B) contraction.

isotonic contraction  muscle contraction without appreciable change in the force of contraction; the distance between the muscle's origin and insertion becomes lessened.

lengthening contraction  a muscle contraction in which the ends of the muscle move farther apart, as when the muscle is forcibly flexed.

paradoxical contraction  contraction of a muscle caused by the passive approximation of its extremities.

postural contraction  the state of muscular tension and contraction which just suffices to maintain the posture of the body.

shortening contraction  a muscle contraction in which the ends of the muscle move closer together, as when a flexed limb is extended.

tetanic contraction  sustained muscular contraction without intervals of relaxation.

tonic contraction  tetanic c.

twitch contraction  twitch.

uterine contraction  contraction of the uterus during labor.

wound contraction  the shrinkage and spontaneous closure of open skin wounds.

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Braxton Hicks contractions

Tightening of the uterus or abdomen that can occur throughout pregnancy. These contractions do not cause changes to the cervix and are sometimes called false labor or practice contractions.

Mentioned in: Premature Labor

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Braxton Hicks contractions.

See preterm contractions.

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Braxton Hicks contractions [braks´ton hiks´]

light, usually painless, irregular contractions of the uterus throughout pregnancy, gradually increasing in intensity and frequency and becoming more rhythmic during the third trimester; they are often mistaken for true labor, and are sometimes referred to as “false labor.” They may be stimulated by the descent of the head of the fetus into the pelvic inlet. Braxton Hicks contractions are not as regular and rhythmic as are true labor contractions.