What happens during the third stage of labour?

For a woman who has just given birth, the most important thing that is happening is that she is meeting her baby for the first time, and will be spending time holding and cuddling her new baby. This is a very special moment for both.

However, labour is not yet finished. After the baby is born, the uterus carries on contracting. This causes the placenta to come away from the wall of the uterus. Here, the muscle fibres of the uterus wall are arranged in a criss-cross pattern. As the uterus contracts, they close around the mother's blood vessels and limit the amount of blood loss. The placenta and membranes are passed out of the uterus into the birth canal and are delivered.

This process where the placenta and membranes come away from the uterus is called ‘the third stage of labour’ or simply ‘third stage’.

For more information on Third Stage go back to our Third Stage Frequently Asked Questions.