Prolonged labor can not only be draining, but is also dangerous for the condition of the mother and fetus in the womb. This stalled labor can cause fatigue, and increase the risk of the baby experiencing fetal distress, injury, and infection. Normal delivery can take around 12-18 hours for a first-time mother and can be several hours faster for women who have given birth more than once. Prolonged labor is defined as labor that lasts more than 20 hours for first-time mothers. As for mothers who have given birth more than once, labor is called too long if it lasts for more than 14 hours. Causes of the Birth Process Becomes Longer There are several things that might cause the labor process to be longer, namely: Cervical thinning or opening of the birth canal which takes place slowly. The contractions that appear are not strong enough. The birth canal is too small for the baby to pass, or the baby is too big for the birth canal. The baby's position is abnormal, for example br...