Definition of "Prolonged labor"
Last modified: over 2 years
Labor, childbirth, they mean the same thing. Labor is defined to have started when there is regular contractions occurring less than 10 minutes apart, and progressive cervical opening (which we call dilation or effacement) between consecutive vaginal exams. It's defined as too long, when it takes longer than 24 hours.
So labor is divided into different phases. The latent phase starts with uterine contractions, and finishes around 3-4cm, when everything starts to speed up in the active phase. That's why the active phase can't really be prolonged... The 2nd stage starts with full cervical dilation. And the 3rd stage starts after delivery of bub.
If the womb is not contracting as good as it should, so the baby's not getting the push to come out. And if there's some physical obstruction, which can be due to the baby's position or size, or the size of its outlet. To make it easier to remember, we sometimes refer to these 2 things, as the passenger and the passage.
The baby is altogether physically obstructed from coming out. A lower likelihood of being able to deliver the baby vaginally. It can result in infection. There can be physical trauma to the perineum. Bleeding. And the need for the baby to receive intensive care, which we call NICU.
Prolonged labor (aka failure to progress) is when total duration of childbirth> 24 hours.
Patient information
I'm guessing prologned labor means that labor is taking foreeeeever. What is labor though? And what is defined as, too long?Labor, childbirth, they mean the same thing. Labor is defined to have started when there is regular contractions occurring less than 10 minutes apart, and progressive cervical opening (which we call dilation or effacement) between consecutive vaginal exams. It's defined as too long, when it takes longer than 24 hours.
Classification
- Prolonged latent phase, is when it takes >20 hours for a nulli, or >14 hours for a multi
- Prolonged 2nd stage, is when it's >2 hours for a nulli, or >1 hour for a multi. If epidural is being used, we allow an extra 1 hour for both
- Prolonged 3rd stage, is when it's >30 min, nulli or multi
Patient information
How is labor that is prolonged, classified?So labor is divided into different phases. The latent phase starts with uterine contractions, and finishes around 3-4cm, when everything starts to speed up in the active phase. That's why the active phase can't really be prolonged... The 2nd stage starts with full cervical dilation. And the 3rd stage starts after delivery of bub.
So when is labor considered "prolonged"?
It depends on the stage. The latent phase is pretty slow, but if it's taking >20 hours for a first time mom, or>14 hours for a mom who's previously given birth, we call that long. The 2nd stage should happen within 2 hours for a new mom, or 1 hour for a mom who's previously given birth. We give an extra hour for an epidural, because it reduces your urge to push. And prolonged 3rd stage is when the placenta takes longer than 30 minutes to come out.
Cause
- Poor uterine contractions
- Obstructed labour:
- Babies position or size being abnormal
- Issues with the pelvis or birth canal
Patient information
What causes childbirth to take longer than usual?If the womb is not contracting as good as it should, so the baby's not getting the push to come out. And if there's some physical obstruction, which can be due to the baby's position or size, or the size of its outlet. To make it easier to remember, we sometimes refer to these 2 things, as the passenger and the passage.
Complications
- Obstructed labor, due to abnormal baby position or size, and issues with the pelvis or birth canal
- Decreased SVD (spontaneous vaginal delivery)
- Increased infection
- Perineal laceration
- Obstetric hemorrhage
- Need for NICU
Patient information
What bad things can happen as a result of childbirth taking longer than usual?The baby is altogether physically obstructed from coming out. A lower likelihood of being able to deliver the baby vaginally. It can result in infection. There can be physical trauma to the perineum. Bleeding. And the need for the baby to receive intensive care, which we call NICU.
Synonyms:
Failure to progress
FTP
Labor prolonged
Labour prolonged
Long 2nd stage
Long labor
Long labour
Long second stage
Longer labor
Longer labour
Prolonged 2nd stage
Prolonged 3rd stage
Prolonged labour
Prolonged latent phase
prolonged second stage
Prolonged third stage
Slow labor
Slow labour
Stalled labor
Stalled labour
Find a practitioner
Amanda Gordon
Female PsychologistArmchair Psychology - Edgecliff NSW
Practitioner count: 0
Sponsor a disease. And see how your proceeds help.
$1
Express interest
$10
Write text
$40
Write FAQ
$100
Snap photos
$400
Record audio
$1k
Produce video
$4k
Interview experts