The first is that these early “practice contractions” could be helping to prepare the body for true labor by strengthening the uterine muscle.
[1] The second is that these contractions may occur when the fetus is in a state of physiological stress, in order to help provide more oxygenated blood to the fetal circulation.
[1] The determination of Braxton Hicks contractions is dependent on the history and physical assessment of the pregnant woman's abdomen, as there are no specific imaging tests for diagnosis.
[1] However, as the end of a pregnancy approaches, Braxton Hicks contractions tend to become more frequent and more intense.
[4] In 1872, he investigated the later stages of pregnancy and noted that many pregnant women felt contractions without being near birth.