When you arrive at the delivery unit, a midwife carries out an initial assessment. The purpose is to determine which stage of labour you may be in and how the situation should be followed up. The assessment is based on earlier contact and current observations.

The midwife assesses the pattern of contractions: how frequent they are, how long they last and whether they have changed over time. Fetal heartbeat is monitored to see how the baby responds to contractions, using Doppler or CTG depending on the situation. The fetal position is assessed through abdominal palpation.

If the amniotic fluid has released, the midwife may ask when it happened, how much fluid there was and what it looked like. When needed, a vaginal examination can be performed to assess the cervix and whether labour has entered an active phase.

Based on the assessment, it is decided whether admission, observation or continued waiting at home is most appropriate. The initial assessment is used to plan the next step and does not predict when labour will progress.

Alma’s tips 🌿

• If the water has released, it can be helpful to know roughly when it happened and what the fluid looked like.

• You may also be asked when contractions started and whether they have become more regular or stronger.

• If you want to understand the assessment better, you can ask what typically indicates that active labour has begun.