Violena was in the midst of a photoshoot, posed and poised as the cameras clicked away. Suddenly, she felt a sharp, painful contraction across her belly. It was a Braxton Hicks contraction, a common occurrence in late pregnancy.

Struggling to mask the pain, she continued to smile and pose for the camera, determined to complete the shoot. But as the contractions continued to come and go, it became harder and harder to hide the discomfort.