| False Labor | True Labor |
|---|
| Contractions: Braxton Hicks intensify (more noticeable at night); short, irregular, little change | Contractions: begin in lower back, radiate to abdomen (“girdling”), become regular, rhythmic; frequency, duration, intensity increase |
| Discomfort: mostly abdominal and groin | Discomfort: mostly low back |
| Relieved by change of position or activity (e.g., walking) | Unaffected by change of position, activity, drinking two glasses of water, or moderate analgesia |
| Cervical changes—none; no effacement or dilation progress | Cervical changes—progressive effacement and dilation |