Third Stage of Labor
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
This article from the 1928–1936 Soviet Great Medical Encyclopedia defines the third stage of labor, which involves the separation and expulsion of the placenta and fetal membranes. It outlines the physiological mechanisms of placental detachment and expulsion, and notes its division into clinical stages according to Fabre.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
THIRD STAGE OF LABOR, the third period of childbirth (the first period being the dilation of the cervix, the second being the expulsion of the fetus), during which the placenta and membranes are separated and expelled. The third stage consists of three moments: the detachment of the placenta and membranes from the uterine wall, its passage into the vagina, and its expulsion to the outside. Clinically, the third stage is divided into three phases (Fabre): the phase of physiological rest, painful contractions, and labor pains (for details, see Childbirth).
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“Third Stage of Labor.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/third-stage-of-labor/