Uterine Contractions - Medical Illustration, Human Anatomy Drawing
This series of illustrations begins by showing a full term fetus in a vertex position within the mother's womb going through uterine contractions before birth. In greater detail to the right is the vascular supply to the pregnant uterus showing what normally occurs during the stage of uterine contractions. When there is contractions of the uterine muscle, the vessels are also compressed and no blood passes through the uterine arteries into the placenta and consequently neither into the fetus. These contraction forces place temporary stress on the fetus but under normal circumstances the baby tolerates this just fine.
