Uterine contraction - wikipedia Uterine contraction A uterine contraction is a muscle contraction of the uterine smooth muscle. Contents 1 Throughout menstrual cycle 2 Childbirth 3 In orgasm 4 References Throughout menstrual cycle The uterus frequently contracts throughout the entire menstrual cycle, and these contractions have been termed endometrial waves or contractile waves. These appear to involve only the sub-endometrial layer of the myometrium. In the early follicular phase, these contractions occur once or twice per minute and last 10 -- 15 seconds with a low amplitude of usually 30 mmHg. The frequency increases to 3 -- 4 per minute towards ovulation. During the luteal phase, the frequency and amplitude decrease, possibly to facilitate any implantation. If implantation does not occur, the frequency remains low, but the amplitude increases dramatically to between 50 and 200 mmHg producing labor - like contractions at the time of menstruation. These contractions are sometimes termed menstrual cramps, although that term is often used for menstrual pain in general. These contractions may be uncomfortable or even painful, but they are generally significantly less painful than contractions during labour. A hot water bottle or exercising has been found to help. A shift in the myosin expression of the uterine smooth muscle has been hypothesized to avail for changes in the directions of uterine contractions that are seen during the menstrual cycle. Childbirth Knitted Bellyband with conductive thread and RFID chip to monitor contractions A contraction refers specifically to the motion of the uterus as part of the process of childbirth. Contractions, and labour in general, is one condition that releases the hormone oxytocin into the body. Contractions become longer as labour intensifies. Prior to actual labour, women may experience Braxton Hicks contractions, sometimes known as `` false labour. '' Since every pregnancy is different, a doctor, midwife or other competent professional should always be consulted before any action is taken to reduce the pain. Some popular methods may be harmful to the mother and / or the baby, or may actually worsen the pain or lengthen the labour. Uterine contractions during childbirth can be monitored by tocography, in which a device called a tocodynamometer, which has a flat area that is fixated to the skin by a band around the belly. The pressure required to flatten a section of the wall correlates with the internal pressure, thereby providing an estimate of it. A type of monitoring technology under development at Drexel University embeds conductive threads in the knitted fabric of a bellyband. When the fibers stretch in response to a contraction, the threads function like an antenna, and send the signals they pick up to an embedded RFID ( radio frequency identification device ) chip that reports the data. In orgasm The uterus and vagina contract during female orgasm. These contractions may not be noticed by all women ; pregnant women are more likely to notice these contractions by late 2nd and 3rd trimesters. References ^ Jump up to : Aguilar, H.N. ; Mitchell, S. ; Knoll, A.H. ; Yuan, X. ( 2010 ). `` Physiological pathways and molecular mechanisms regulating uterine contractility ''. Human Reproduction Update. 16 ( 6 ) : 725 -- 744. doi : 10.1093 / humupd / dmq016. PMID 20551073. Jump up ^ medicinenet.com > Menstrual Cramps Retrieved January 2011 Jump up ^ Uterine Contraction at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH ) Jump up ^ Tocodynamometer. By Dr. Malcolm C Brown. Copyright 2000 Jump up ^ Reyes, Juliana ( August 21, 2014 ). `` Drexel 's wearable - tech lab is making ' a radio out of fabric ' for pregnant women ''. Technically Philly. Retrieved 10 May 2017. Jump up ^ Komisaruk, B.R., Wise, N., Frangos, E., Liu, W. - C., Allen, K. and Brody, S. ( 2011 ). `` Women 's Clitoris, Vagina, and Cervix Mapped on the Sensory Cortex : fMRI Evidence ''. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 8 ( 10 ) : 2822 -- 2830. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1743 - 6109.2011. 02388. x. PMC 3186818. PMID 21797981. Surprise finding in response to nipple stimulation Lay summary Check layurl = value ( help ) -- CBSnews.com ( 5 August 2011 ). CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Physiology of muscles Exertion Exercise Movement Eye movement Gait Locomotion Other Hand strength Muscle tone Muscle contraction Isometric Isotonic Uterine contraction End - plate potential Myogenesis Pregnancy and childbirth Planning Birth control Natural family planning Pre-conception counseling Conception Assisted reproductive technology Artificial insemination Fertility medication In vitro fertilisation Fertility awareness Unintended pregnancy Testing 3D ultrasound Obstetric ultrasonography Pregnancy test Home testing Prenatal diagnosis Prenatal Anatomy Amniotic fluid Amniotic sac Endometrium Placenta Development Fundal height Gestational age Human embryogenesis Maternal physiological changes Postpartum physiological changes Care Nutrition Environmental toxicants In pregnancy Prenatal Concomitant conditions Drinking Diabetes mellitus Smoking Vaping SLE Sexual activity during pregnancy Procedures Amniocentesis Cardiotocography Chorionic villus sampling Nonstress test Abortion Childbirth Preparation Adaptation to extrauterine life Bradley method Hypnobirthing Lamaze Nesting instinct Roles Doula Men 's roles Midwife Obstetrician Perinatal nurse Delivery Bloody show Childbirth positions Home birth Multiple birth Natural childbirth Pelvimetry / Bishop score Cervical dilation Cervical effacement Position Presentation Breech Cephalic Shoulder Rupture of membranes Unassisted childbirth Uterine contraction Water birth Postpartum Child care Congenital disorders Sex after pregnancy Obstetric history Gravidity Parity TPAL Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Uterine_contraction&oldid=779728890 '' Categories : Obstetrics Midwifery Uterus Hidden categories : Pages with URL errors CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2012 Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Deutsch فارسی Français Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Русский Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 10 May 2017, at 17 : 06. 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Question: the term used to describe the contractions of the uterus
Answer: uterine contraction