Rapid Labor: Signs, Difficulties And

Management
With each pregnancy, labor and birth can be quite different.
Some women follow the typical course of labor, while others
may experience delays in labor or find it necessary to induce.
Still, others experience rapid labor. Although some women
see rapid labor as a wonderful benefit, there are some
drawbacks to birthing your baby quickly.
Regardless of the kind of labor you experience, it can be
expected to have a healthy birth.
Labor and birth of your baby consists of three stages:
Active labor
Birth of the baby
Delivery of the placenta
On average, these stages of labor last from 6-18 hours. Rapid
labor, also called precipitous labor, is characterized by labor
that can last as little as 3 hours and is typically less than 5
hours.
There are several factors that can impact your potential
for a rapid labor including:
A particularly efficient uterus which contracts with great strength
An extremely compliant birth canal
A history of prior rapid labor
Birth of a smaller than average baby

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Rapid Labor?

The signs of rapid labor vary, but may include any of the
following:
A sudden onset of intense, closely timed contractions with little
opportunity for recovery between contractions.
An intense pain that feels like one continuous contraction allowing
no time for recovery.
The sensation of pressure including an urge to push that comes on
quickly and without warning. This can also be described as bearing
 down and feel similar to a bowel movement. Often times this
symptom is not accompanied by contractions as your cervix dilates
very quickly.

What are the Difficulties of Rapid Labor?

The most obvious difficulty with Rapid Labor is emotional
turmoil. Rapid Labor can make it extremely difficult to find
coping strategies and can leave the expectant mother feeling
out of control. Many women feel disappointment as they look
forward to the birthing process and are surprised by a rapid
labor.
A very practical concern of rapid labor is also the location of
the birth. Often, by the time the expectant mother realizes
that she is indeed having a rapid labor, there is a narrow
window of opportunity to drive to the hospital. In this case,
methods of pain medication listed in the birthing plan may or
may not be available.
Rapid Labor can have a number of other potential
difficulties for the mother or baby including:

For Mother:
Increased risk of tearing and laceration of the cervix and vagina
Hemorrhaging from the uterus or vagina
Shock following birth which increases recovery time
Delivery in an unsterilized environment such as the car or bathroom

For Baby:
Risk of infection from unsterilized delivery
Potential aspiration of amniotic fluid

How Can You Manage or Cope During Rapid Labor

Though you cannot control the speed at which your labor
progresses, there are several steps that you can follow in
order to take control of the situation in the event of rapid
labor.
These include:
Call for help immediately by contacting your doctor, midwife or
911.
You can also have someone contact your doula if you are using one.
Stay in control by using breathing techniques and calming thoughts.
Have a partner with you at all times.
Remain in a clean, sterile place until help arrives.
Lay down either on your back or on your side.
Last Update: 08/2015
Comprised from the following resources:
Harms, R. W. (2004). Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy
Pregnancy. New York: HarperResource. Johnson, Robert.
(1994). Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Babys
First Year. New York: William Morrow and Company Inc.
Lesson 3: Precipitate and Emergency Delivery.
Brooksidepress.org. Medical Education Division, Web. 19
August. 2014.
Abstract
Objective: The study was aimed to identify risk factors and to elucidate
pregnancy outcome following precipitate labor, i.e. expulsion of the fetus
within less than 3 h of commencement of contractions. Methods: A
comparison of patients with and without precipitate labor, delivered during
the years 19882002, was conducted. Patients who underwent cesarean
deliveries were excluded from the analysis. A multiple logistic regression
model, with backward elimination, was performed to investigate
independent risk factors for precipitate labor. Results: The number of
vaginal deliveries that occurred during the study period was 137,171. Of
these, 99 were precipitate. Independent risk factors for precipitate labor,
using a backward, stepwise multivariate analysis were: placental abruption
(odds ratio (OR)=30.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.960.4, P<0.001);
fertility treatments (OR=3.9, 95% CI 1.79.0, P=0.002); chronic
hypertension (OR=3.1, 95% CI 1.27.8, P=0.015); intrauterine growth
restriction (IUGR) (OR=2.9, 95% CI 1.26.8, P=0.014); prostaglandin E2
induction (OR=1.9, 95% CI 1.13.5, P=0.045); birth weight < 2500 g
(OR=1.8, 95% CI 1.13.1, P=0.020); and nulliparity (OR=1.7, 95% CI 1.1
2.6, P=0.014). No significant differences were noted between the groups
regarding perinatal complications such as meconium stained amniotic fluid,
perinatal mortality and low Apgar scores. However, there were higher rates
of maternal complications in the precipitate labor group such as cervical
tears and grade 3 perineal tears (18.2% versus 0.3%, P<0.001; and 2.0%
versus 0.1%, P<0.001, respectively), post-partum hemorrhage (13.1%
versus 0.4%, P<0.001); retained placenta (2.0% versus 0.5%, P=0.02); the
need for revision of uterine cavity and packed-cells transfusions (34.3%
versus 4.9%, P<0.001; and 11.1% versus 1.1%, P<0.001, respectively) and
prolonged hospitalization (27.6% versus 19.2%, P=0.035) as compared to
the controls. Conclusion: Precipitate labor is associated with higher rates of
maternal complications.