Precipitous labor, when the time between onset of labor and birth is three hours or less, can be risky for mother and baby. It is more common in women with larger pelvises or who have had multiple previous children, and can be caused by drug use or induced labor. Rushed labor can cause intense pain, tearing, bleeding, and low oxygen levels. It is best managed in a hospital setting, and doctors may decide to perform a C-section to end it quickly.
While labor and delivery can last a very long time, some women have what is called precipitous labor. This is when the total time between the onset of labor and birth is three hours or less. This is not that common, but it can happen under certain circumstances and presents a unique set of problems that should be handled carefully.
Rush labor symptoms may begin with true contractions that don’t seem to have intervals. One contraction tends to directly follow another without a time gap. If you are at home and your contractions occur quickly with no breaks in between, you may be progressing into labor more quickly than most people. If you’re some distance from a hospital, this form of contraction is an indication to call 911, because it’s possible you could give birth without medical attention before you even get to the hospital.
Some women seem more prone than others to rushed labor. It can occur more easily in women with larger pelvis and is more likely to occur in women who have had more than one previous child. A woman who has had rushed labor with a past pregnancy is also at a higher risk of having it again, and sometimes younger babies who are in the ideal position simply come faster. One risk factor you can control is drug use: Cocaine use during pregnancy can cause this type of labor, and it goes without saying that illegal drug use during pregnancy is extremely dangerous. Other times, when women are given pitocin to induce labor, rushed labor is created, although this is still rare.
While it might seem ideal for women who have been in long labors to get through labor and delivery quickly, precipitous labor is not ideal for the mother or baby. The pain is intense, and mothers may not have access to pain medication due to how quickly labor is progressing. There is an increased risk of tearing, uterine bleeding, hemorrhage and low oxygen levels for mom and baby.
Rushing labor can also cause fetal distress, and some babies may have head injuries because they pass through the birth canal so quickly. In rare cases, this rapid passage can result in pneumothorax, in which a lung collapses. Whenever possible, this form of labor is best managed in a hospital setting where doctors are on hand to help treat a distressed baby or mother with complications.
Emotionally, rushed labor can be exceptionally hard on moms. There is no way to adequately describe the intense pain that mothers in labor can be in, and what makes it especially difficult is that there is little that can be done to ease the pain. Any learned birthing method usually fails to comfort, and many forms of pain relief are contraindicated. Moms can feel very let down by a quick and scary birth experience, and this could potentially cause bablues or contribute to postnatal depression.
Under certain circumstances, doctors will decide to perform a C-section to end rushed labor quickly. Not all doctors agree on this step. Many babies are born healthy and healthy despite this fast labor, and a C-section can increase the risk to both mother and baby.
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