Birth of the placenta

This topic covers the third stage of labor, from the birth of the baby to the delivery of the placenta. A review describes management of the third stage of labour, and another gives evidence-based labor management for this stage. Reference entries on normal labor and vaginal delivery provide background.

Some papers look at what can go wrong. Entries cover placenta abnormalities, uterine inversion and abnormal labor. A systematic review and meta-analysis asks whether prolonged third stage should be redefined, looking at the length of the third stage and adverse maternal outcome after vaginal birth. How long this stage is expected to last, and when it is considered prolonged, is an area where the research continues.

Parents often ask what happens after the baby is born, whether they will feel the placenta come out, and what the care team does. An educator may want slides that explain this stage in plain terms, including its place in the full course of labor. The papers below are the ones the Hub tracks on this topic.