In which stage of labor does the mother become fully dilated at 10 cm?

• A. Stage one
• B. Stage two
• C. Stage three
• D. Stage four

Answer: (B)

The mother becomes fully dilated at 10 cm during the second stage of labor. This stage, often referred to as the expulsion phase, begins once the cervix has reached complete dilation, allowing the baby to move down the birth canal and prepare for delivery. The key event in this stage is the actual delivery of the newborn, which cannot occur until the cervix has dilated to the full extent.

In contrast, the first stage of labor is dedicated to the process of cervical dilation, where contractions work to open the cervix up to 10 cm. The third stage involves the delivery of the placenta after the baby has been born, and the fourth stage refers to the immediate postpartum recovery period. Thus, the significant milestone of reaching complete dilation is specific to the second stage.