Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as practice contractions or false labor, are sporadic uterine contractions that may start around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, they are usually felt in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. Associated conditions
Braxton Hicks contractions are often confused for labor. Braxton Hicks contractions allow the pregnant womans body to prepare for labor. However, the presence of Braxton Hicks contractions does not mean a woman is in labor or even that labor is about to commence. Another common cause of pain in pregnancy is round ligament pain. Table 1. Braxton Hicks contractions vs. True Labor

Pathophysiology
Although the exact causes of Braxton Hicks contractions are not fully understood, there are known triggers that cause Braxton Hicks contractions, such as when a pregnant woman:
is dehydrated
has a full bladder
has just had sexual intercourse
has been exercising (running, lifting heavy objects)
is under excessive stress
has had her stomach touchedThere are two thoughts for why these intermittent uterine muscle contractions may be occurring. The first is that these early “practice contractions” could be helping to prepare the body for true labor by strengthening the uterine muscle. 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. Signs and symptoms
The determination of Braxton Hicks contractions is dependent on the history and physical assessment of the pregnant womans abdomen, as there are no specific imaging tests for diagnosis.
Policy incentives such as Housing First emphasize that other basic needs are easier to be met when housing is first guaranteed. Removing constraints on government services
Government revenue can be diverted away from basic services by corruption. Funds from aid and natural resources are often sent by government individuals for money laundering to overseas banks which insist on bank secrecy, instead of spending on the poor. A Global Witness report asked for more action from Western banks as they have proved capable of stanching the flow of funds linked to terrorism.Illicit capital flight, such as corporate tax avoidance, from the developing world is estimated at ten times the size of aid it receives and twice the debt service it pays, with one estimate that most of Africa would be developed if the taxes owed were paid. About 60 per cent of illicit capital flight from Africa is from transfer mispricing, where a subsidiary in a developing nation sells to another subsidiary or shell company in a tax haven at an artificially low price to pay less tax. An African Union report estimates that about 30% of sub-Saharan Africas GDP has been moved to tax havens. Solutions include corporate "country-by-country reporting" where corporations disclose activities in each country and thereby prohibit the use of tax havens where no effective economic activity occurs.Developing countries debt service to banks and governments from richer countries can constrain government spending on the poor.