Understanding Emergency Medical Conditions and Labor Stages

Health Law

An emergency medical condition is a medical or mental condition manifested by such extreme acute symptoms (including intense pain) that one can fairly conclude that any of the following will result in inability to obtain urgent medical attention:

• Extreme risk to one's health
• Extreme deficiency of bodily functions
• extreme malfunction of every organ or part of the body

This covers disorders that cause extreme pain, such as broken bones, or signs that are abrupt and dangerous, such as chest pain, bad headache, or blurred vision. Many chronic diseases are not included, but do include conditions that, if left untreated, can become emergencies, such as insulin-dependent diabetes, HIV with complications, dialysis-requiring kidney failure, and cancers that need emergency care. Conditions due to pregnancy, birth, or delivery that require medical attention to avoid serious damage to the health of the mother or children (Lulla, Al, and  Svancarek 02). Morning sickness and nonemergency cesarean sections are generally not they are complications of pregnancy.

Three primary stages are made up of labor 

First stage: Dilatation (or labor) time. It consists of two levels, original and active. The contractions allow the cervix to progressively dilate before it disappears (effacement) and almost merges with the remainder of the uterus, and becomes smaller. 

Second stage: time of expulsion. It's about a baby being born.

Third stage: distribution time. The expulsion of the placenta requires it.

Labor typically starts around 2 weeks before the due date or after it is due. Exactly what causes labor to start is not understood  (Penzenstadler, Louise, et al. 12). The doctor tests the cervix at the end of the pregnancy (after 36 weeks) to attempt to determine when labor will occur. Standing and walking will shorten labor by during the first period of labor

a comprehensive overview of emergency medical conditions, focusing on the definition, common examples, and the three stages of labor. It also discusses factors that can influence the onset of labor.

• Lulla, Al, and Bridgette Svancarek. "EMS, Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, USA." (2019).
• Penzenstadler, Louise, et al. "Risk factors of hospitalization for any medical condition among patients with prior emergency department visits for mental health conditions." BMC psychiatry 20.1 (2020): 1-14.