The 3rd stage of labour begins from the moment the baby is born, until the delivery (or expulsion) of the
placenta, cord and membranes (or the 'afterbirth') from the woman's uterus.
Over 95 % of Australian women will have their 3rd stage of labour 'actively managed'. This involves the caregiver giving the woman an injection of Syntocinon. The use of
Syntocinon is aimed at reducing the time it takes for the placenta to be delivered (and thus the blood loss) and control the bleeding from the uterus soon after the birth, in the hope of preventing possible problems such as excessive bleeding, known as a
postpartum haemorrhage or PPH.
The use of Syntocinon is generally standard procedure for women who have their babies in a delivery suite. It does not tend to be used routinely for women who give birth in a birth centre or at home. In these cases, the woman usually chooses to deliver her placenta using her body's natural processes. This is known as a natural or 'physiological' 3rd stage. (Caregivers will often refer to this as 'expectant management'.) If you wish to know more about the different phases and mechanical processes of a natural 3rd stage you can read about this in
Class 7.
An actively managed 3rd stage entails the following procedures: