"False labour" is the term given to Braxton-Hicks contractions that occur regularly enough to be mistaken for the onset of true labour. False labour may cause discomfort, contractions occur every 10-20 minutes, and is difficult to distinguish from early labour. The difference between false labour and early labour is that in false labour the cervix does not change. A midwife can work out if the cervix is changing by doing a vaginal examination.

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