Labor 

is defined as a series of rhythmic, involuntary, progressive uterine

contraction that causes effacement and dilation of the uterine cervix. The process
of labor and birth is divided into three stage.

The first stage of labor is the longest and involves three phases

namely latent, active, and transition. The latent phase begins with the onset of
regular uterine contractions until cervical dilatation. The active phase occurs when
cervical dilatation is at 4 to 7 cm and contractions last from 40 to 60 seconds with 3
to 5 minutes interval and the last phase which is transition phase occurs when
contractions reach their peak with intervals of 2 to 3 minutes and dilatation of 8 to
10 cm.

The second stage of labor starts when cervical dilatation reaches 10 cm and ends

when the baby is delivered.

Lastly, the third stage or the placental stage begins right after the birth of the
baby and ends with the delivery of the placenta.

There are instances where labor doesn’t start on it’s own so when the risks of
waiting for labor to start are higher than the risks of having a procedure to get
labor going, inducing labor may be necessary to keep the woman and baby healthy.
This may be the case when certain situations such as premature rupture of the
membranes, overdue pregnancy, hypertension, preeclampsia, heart disease,
gestational diabetes, or bleeding during pregnancy are present.

Nursing Care Plans

The nursing care plan for a woman in labor includes providing information
regarding labor and birth, providing comfort and pain relief measures, monitoring
mother’s vital signs and fetal heart rate, facilitating postpartum care, and
preventing complications after birth.

Here are 36 nursing care plans (NCP) and nursing diagnoses for the different
stages of labor including care plans for labor induction and labor
augmentation:

 Labor Stage IA: Latent Phase

 1. Deficient Knowledge

2. Risk for Fluid Volume Deficit

3. Risk For Fetal Injury

4. Risk For Maternal Infection

5. Risk For Ineffective Coping

6. Risk For Anxiety

 Labor Stage IB: Active Phase
1. Acute Pain

2. Impaired Urinary Elimination

3. Risk For Impaired Fetal Gas Exchange

4. Risk For Maternal Injury

5. Risk For Ineffective Individual/Couple Coping

 Labor Stage IC: Transition Phase
1. Acute Pain

2. Fatigue

3. Risk For Decreased Cardiac Output

4. Risk for Fluid Volume Deficit/Excess

5. Risk for Ineffective Coping

 Labor Stage II: Expulsion
1. Acute Pain

2. Altered Cardiac Output

3. Risk For Impaired Fetal Gas Exchange

4. Risk For Fluid Volume Deficit

5. Risk For Fetal Injury

6. Risk For Maternal Infection

7. Risk For Impaired Skin Integrity

8. Risk For Ineffective Individual Coping

9. Risk For Fatigue

 Labor Stage III: Placental Expulsion
1. Acute Pain

2. Knowledge Deficit

3. Risk For Fluid Volume Deficit

4. Risk For Maternal Injury

5. Risk For Altered Family Process

 Labor Induced: Augmented
1. Acute Pain

2. Knowledge Deficit

3. Anxiety

4. Risk For Impaired Fetal Gas Exchange

5. Risk For Maternal Injury