Vocabulary Lesson: Precipitous labor

If you’ve ever seen labor depicted in a movie or on TV, you may have seen someone have two contractions, say, “The baby is coming!” and then give birth five minutes later. This is a Hollywood dramatization of precipitous labor.

The average length of labor is between 6-18 hours. A precipitous labor is the textbook definition for any labor that is quick and short, and is defined by your baby being born within three hours of the onset of regular contractions. Precipitous labor occurs in approximately 1-3% of births.

In the precipitous labors that I have supported, some clients have early labor lasting varying lengths of times, but with irregular contractions, and then had a rapid pivot into regular contractions. Other clients have had zero early labor and the regular contractions started right away.

Precipitous labor is more uncommon in first time moms, but can absolutely still happen. Labors often (but not always) are shorter for consecutive babies, so if you had one fast birth already, I would encourage you to be prepared for that to be your experience again for any other children you have. Some people have expressed the opinion that precipitous birth runs in families, but there is currently no evidence-based information to back that up.

If you are experiencing rapid onset of regular, intense, contractions, it is best to contact your provider right away and proceed to your planned place of birth. If you or your partner are unsure about providing transportation for a possibly precipitous labor, please do not hesitate to call an ambulance.

Christine Rogers is a birth doula and childbirth educator in Alaska, serving Anchorage, Eagle River and the Mat-Su Valley. A mom of four, she works hard to ensure every client she serves has a positive and empowering birth experience. She can be reached online at www.drawneardoula.com, or emailed directly at drawneardoula@gmail.com.

Looking for more birth planning resources? Check out my free Birth Preferences Worksheet and free Guide to Choosing A Care Provider!