Precipitous Labor

What Is Precipitous Labor?

Precipitous labor (or rapid labor) describes labor that’s quick and short. If you have a precipitous birth, your baby is born within three hours of regular contractions starting. Some healthcare providers consider it anything less than five hours.

Typical labor lasts between six and 18 hours on average. While fast labor might sound better than labor that lasts several hours (or days), precipitous labor comes with risks.

Symptoms of precipitous birth

The symptoms of rapid labor vary but usually include:

• Contractions start suddenly and come very close together right away. Unlike typical labor, there isn’t a break between contractions.
• Contractions are continuously painful and strong, with little to no buildup in intensity level. They start very strong and stay very strong.
• You feel an urge to push. Some describe it as feeling like you need to poop.

With normal labor, contractions start slowly and are weak at first. They're hard to predict and happen at irregular intervals. This process can last hours or even days. In precipitous labor, the slow and weak contractions never happen. You have fast, intense contractions almost right away.

Is it more painful?

There’s a chance it’ll be more painful, but it depends on several factors. Some reasons it may hurt more include:

• You won’t have time to get an epidural or other pain medication
• Your contractions are intense
• You don’t get a break between contractions
• You forget breathing techniques and can’t relax

Precipitous labor causes

No one knows for sure what causes it. But some factors may increase your chances for rapid labor.

Risk factors

Several factors that increase your risk include:

• You’ve given birth before
• You’ve had precipitous labor before
• Your baby is smaller than average
• You have high blood pressure
• Your labor is induced with misoprostol
• Your uterus is exceptionally strong and efficient at contractions
• Your birth canal is soft and flexible

Talk to your healthcare provider if you think you might be at risk. They may recommend making special preparations to avoid precipitous labor.

Complications of precipitous birth

Rapid labor is unplanned and not how you expect your birth experience to happen. This loss of control can be hard to handle, both physically and emotionally. Because it all happens so fast, you may have trouble getting to a hospital and be too late for pain medication, like an epidural. This can make for a scary and chaotic delivery.

Other complications for the birth mother include:

• Heavy bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage
• Higher risk of vaginal tears
• Retained placenta (placenta getting stuck in your uterus)
• Delivery in an unsterilized area, like a car
• Not getting antibiotics for Group B strep or other infections before delivery

A precipitous delivery may pose dangers for your baby, including:

• Breathing in meconium or amniotic fluid
• Infection due to delivery in an unsterile area
• Injury or trauma from descending the birth canal too quickly

How do I prepare for fast labor?

How quickly you go into labor is usually out of your control. If you’ve had a rapid labor before, you may be wondering how you can prepare this time. The best thing you can do is have your hospital bags packed and ready to go several weeks before your due date. You should also pack things you’d need in the case of an emergency delivery. These items could include hand sanitizer or other antibacterials, several towels and blankets, diapers and extra clothes.

Can I be induced to avoid precipitous labor?

If your healthcare provider feels you’re at extremely high risk for precipitous labor, they may suggest an early induction. This is up to you and your provider based on your health history and other factors unique to your pregnancy. Inductions come with risks, too. It’s best to discuss your options with your provider if you’re concerned about precipitous labor.