Chandra Yallampalli

Control of Myometrial Contractility and Labor

At the end of gestation, the uterus becomes increasingly contractile and reactive to excitatory agents to eventually reach a state in which it forcefully expels the fetus and other products of conception. This contractile state (labor) is achieved when contractions of different regions of the uterine wall become stronger, more frequent, and synchronous. The coordination of these contractions is believed to be required for the normal progression of parturition, and the absence of this activity throughout pregnancy is thought to be essential for adequate nourishment of the developing fetus (Csapo 1981).