A 28-year-old female is 34 weeks gestation and experiences contractions every 5 minutes lasting about 1 minute. What should you call these contractions?

• A. Braxton Hicks
• B. True labor
• C. Prodromal labor
• D. False labor

Answer: (A)

Regular, evenly spaced contractions that last about a minute are the pattern of true labor. Braxton Hicks contractions tend to be irregular and do not reliably progress toward cervical changes. Prodomal labor describes early contractions that resemble labor but don’t lead to dilation. Here, the rhythm suggests true labor, and at 34 weeks this could be preterm labor, so it warrants evaluation and transport to a facility where cervical status and fetal well-being can be assessed.