Abstract
The third stage of labour begins with the birth of the baby and ends with the delivery of the placenta and membranes, a process which, for most women, is rapidly accomplished without complication. However, history testifies to the drama which can arise where problems, notably postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) occur, and contemporary midwifery textbooks still carry warnings similar to that published in 1718 by the apothecary, Nicholas Culpeper:
A Woman cannot be said to be safely delivered, tho’ the Child be born, till the After-burden be also taken from her… Women have an After-labour which sometimes proves more difficult than the first.
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Suggested further reading
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© 1997 Juliet Wood and Jane Rogers
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Wood, J., Rogers, J. (1997). The third stage of labour. In: Alexander, J., Levy, V., Roth, C. (eds) MIDWIFERY PRACTICE: Core Topics 2. Midwifery Practice Series. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-14529-4_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-14529-4_8
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