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 breech or transverse.
- Giving birth to twins.
- Psychological problems experienced by mothers, such as stress, fear, or excessive worry.
Bad Possibilities That Can Affect the Baby
Longer delivery times have the potential to endanger a baby's health. The following are some of the complications that can arise from prolonged labor:
1. Baby lacks oxygen in the womb
The process of labor that is too long can make the baby lack of oxygen. The longer the baby is deprived of oxygen, the more severe the effects he will experience.
Some things that a baby may experience after delivery if he is lacking oxygen are difficulty breathing, weak heartbeat, weakness or weakness of the muscles, and damage to organs, especially the brain.
If this condition is severe, the baby may experience disorders of the brain, heart, lungs or kidneys that have the potential to endanger his life.
2. His heartbeat is abnormal
Prolonged labor can make a baby's heartbeat abnormal. The normal heart rate of a newborn is around 120-160 beats per minute. If the heart rate is less than 120 or more than 160 per minute, then this condition can be considered abnormal.
A fetus's heart rate that is too slow or too fast can be a sign that it is experiencing fetal distress.
3. Impaired breathing in infants
Prolonged labor can stress the baby and expel his first stool or meconium. Meconium can be mixed with amniotic fluid and inhaled by the baby, so it enters the lungs. If this happens, the baby may experience respiratory problems.
4. Uterine infection
Prolonged labor can increase the risk of infection in the uterus or membranes called chorioamnionitis. This condition occurs when bacteria have infected the sac and amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus.
Infected amniotic fluid is a serious condition that can endanger the condition of the fetus or mother.
Besides dangerous for the fetus, prolonged labor can also endanger the mother's condition. This prolonged labor can cause mothers more at risk of postpartum hemorrhage.
To help speed up the process of labor that is too long, the doctor may remove the baby with childbirth aids, such as vacuum or forceps, if the baby's head has reached outside the vagina.
If the fetal head has not gone down through the cervix and labor has been going on for too long, then the doctor may advise the mother to give birth by cesarean section.
Not only during pregnancy, the delivery process also needs to be prepared as possible. With good preparation, pregnant women and doctors can anticipate difficulties that may occur during labor, including labor that lasts longer.
Therefore, it is important to carry out routine pregnancy checks to the obstetrician on schedule.
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