BRAXTON HICKS CONTRACTIONS

Course overview

BRAXTON-HICKS CONTRACTIONS, ALSO KNOWN AS PRODROMAL OR FALSE LABOR PAINS, ARE CONTRACTIONS OF THE UTERUS THAT TYPICALLY ARE NOT FELT UNTIL THE SECOND OR THIRD TRIMESTER OF THE PREGNANCY. BRAXTON-HICKS CONTRACTIONS ARE THE BODY'S WAY OF PREPARING FOR TRUE LABOR, BUT THEY DO NOT INDICATE THAT LABOR HAS BEGUN. BECAUSE MANY PREGNANT PATIENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED ABOUT BRAXTON-HICKS CONTRACTIONS, THEY OFTEN SEEK CARE AND UNDERGO UNNECESSARY EVALUATION FOR THESE CONTRACTIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH BRAXTON-HICKS CONTRACTIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EDUCATING THE PATIENT ABOUT THE CONDITION.