Background: Dystocic labours, also known as slow to progress labours, represent an important clinical and research challenge (Wiberg-Itzel et al., 2018). The uncoordinated myometrial contractions associated with dystocia cannot dilate the cervix, and thus ultimately, these labours end with an unplanned caesarean delivery. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) can act extracellularly as a signalling molecule regulating numerous physiological and pathophysiological conditions (Burnstock, 2017). In response to hypoxia, cells can release ATP into the extracellular milieu of rat ventral medulla (Gourine et al., 2005). A study on rat myometrial tissue have shown that extracellular ATP increases uterine contractions (Zafrah et al., 2017). Further studies on human and rat myometrium have suggested that ATP stimulates P2X1 or P2X7receptos (P2X7R)  (Miyoshi et al., 2012, Alotaibi, 2018, Ziganshin et al., 2006). Moreover, evidence has been established that extracellular ATP appears critical for the initiation of human myometrial contraction and controls their frequency; however, the underline mechanism is unknown (Hutchings et al., 2009). Objective: I hypothesized that the expression of purinergic 2X receptors, P2X1Rs or P2X7Rs, would increase towards term pregnancy, and ATP binding to one of these receptors could potentiate the myometrium contraction, which would help in contractile augmentation during the onset of labour. On the other hand, the depletion of one or both receptors would lead to dysfunctional labour.  Methods: human myometrial tissues were obtained from non-pregnant women undergoing hysterectomy, term pregnant labouring normal women but undergoing emergency CS deliveries due to fetal distress, term pregnant labouring women undergoing emergency CS deliveries due to dysfunctional labour, and term pregnant non-labouring women undergoing elective CS deliveries (n=3-10). Immunoblotting studies measured the level of expression of P2X1Rs & P2X7Rs. The effect of ATP and its analogues, ATPγS (a non-hydrolyzing form of ATP) and BzATP (a more potent agonist at the P2X7R), on labouring and non-labouring human myometrial contractility, were also examined using tissue baths (n=7-10). To further determine P2X7R roles in mediating this action, selective antagonists, A-438079 & A-740003, were used (n=4). The human uterine tissue taken from tissue bank in accordance with Liverpool Women’s Hospital ethical committee approval. Results: P2X1Rs were expressed in non-pregnant human myometrium, and their abundance increased in term pregnant myometrial tissues with no significant difference between labouring and non-labouring women. P2X7Rs expression in the normal labouring group (fetal distress) was significantly greater than all other groups (P= 0.0025). All three agonists increased contraction frequency significantly with the rank order of ATPγS> BzATP>ATP (472.7±82.8%> 253±30.8%> 209.8±28.5%), respectively. No significant differences were found in the agonists’ stimulatory effects in the presence of the P2X7 antagonist compared to their control response. Furthermore, no significant differences in the effect of ATP on myometrial activities between non-labouring and dysfunctional labour women. Inconclusion: Expression data clearly showed the presence of P2X7R in human myometrial tissue, and their abundance might reflect the ATP response in the non-labouring and dysfunctional labouring human myometrium. However, investigating the effect of ATP on labouring normal myometrial tissue would be the next step.