Baby Passing Through Birth Canal During Childbirth Process

Computer generated image reconstructed from scanned human data, actual size of fetus at time of birth (crown to rump) = 360 mm. The image presents a frontal view of the process of childbirth. Typically, the expected time of birth is about 266 days or 38 weeks after fertilization. The fetus passes through the vaginal canal and emerges facedown and head first. Crowning occurs as the vulva distends to the fullest degree. Once the head is delivered, the rest of the body is passed along more easily. The dark brown cross-shape on the infant's head indicates the fontanels, gaps between the bony plates of the skull which allow for compression of the head during passage through the birth canal. The process of labor in childbirth is comprised of three stages. The first stage involves the complete dilation of the cervix. The second stage consists of the delivery of the fetus. The final stage occurs after the delivery of the fetus and ends with the expulsion of the umbilical cord and placenta.

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anatomy, fetus,