Which of the following statements is true of the Braxton-Hicks contractions?

A) They may be experienced as early as the sixth month of pregnancy.
B) They decrease in frequency as the pregnancy progresses.
C) They are always painful.
D) They dilate the cervix to allow the baby to pass during delivery.

Braxton-Hicks contractions, often referred to as "false labor," can indeed start as early as the sixth month of pregnancy. They are irregular, usually painless contractions of the uterus that do not lead to labor or dilate the cervix, distinguishing them from true labor contractions. They do not decrease in frequency as pregnancy progresses, are not always painful, and do not dilate the cervix for delivery.