The third stage of labour commences with the completed delivery of the fetus and ends with the completed delivery of the placenta and its attached membranes. You will recognise that the risk of complications continues for some period after delivery of the placenta. For this reason, many authorities have advocated a so-called fourth stage of labour, which begins with the delivery of the placenta and lasts for an arbitrary period afterwards. The most commonly chosen duration is 1 hour; however, it could last as long as 4 hours. The length of the third stage itself is usually 5-15 minutes. This absolute time limit for delivery of the placenta, without evidence of significant bleeding, remains unclear. However, periods ranging from 30-60 minutes have been suggested as the time limit.

Last modified: Tuesday, 21 March 2017, 4:07 PM