Which stage of labor ends with the birth of the baby?

• A. Stage one
• B. Stage two
• C. Stage three
• D. Stage four

Answer: (B)

Think of labor as a sequence of stages defined by what happens to the cervix and the baby. The moment the baby is delivered marks the end of one stage and the start of the next. The stage where the cervix is fully dilated and contractions push the baby through the birth canal ends with the birth of the baby. In other words, once full dilation is reached and delivery occurs, you’ve reached the end of the second stage. After that, the placenta is delivered in the next stage, and the immediate postpartum period follows.