The Uterus is Amazing

Did you know it is made of the same muscle as your heart?

Did you know they think it might even have a pacemaker like your heart? The reason for this is to co-ordinate the upper and lower pole contracting.

It's also amazing that the muscle fibres change shape as they contract and most of the work is done in the fundus or top of the uterus and the middle section? The lower segment or section does very little work. This is one of the reasons the uterine scar rupture rate is so low and why vaginal birth after a caesarean is considered a safe and reasonable option.

Your uterus is kind to you. You can't feel the true beginning and end of each contraction. They last longer than we can detect even with the monitor. This is why it is so important that contractions are not closer than every two minutes when a woman is being induced. Her body,psyche and baby need a chance to recoup to avoid distress. 

For your uterus to contract it need oxytocin. The flip side is your body needs contractions to produce increasing levels of oxytocin.What comes first or starts it all off in the first place we still don't really know. 

Another amazing fact is that it takes 20 weeks for your uterus to grow to the height of your belly button In pregnancy; but after birth and immediately after you have pushed your placenta out it contracts so efficiently to return back to your belly button height and only continues to shrink from there. 

And they do so much more!!

Amazing!!