Giving birth: how long is labor?

Your waters broke, contractions are becoming regular and painful… Labor has begun! But how long will it last?

• The average duration of labor for a first delivery is 12 hours, although it can last anywhere from 7 to 16 hours.
• There are three phases of labor that vary in duration and intensity.
• The latency phase is defined by contractions of low intensity every 5 to 30 minutes, lasting 30 to 45 seconds and ending when the cervix reaches 3 centimeters.
• The active phase lasts from 3 to 6 hours, with longer and more painful contractions and a cervix that opens to 7 centimeters.
• The transition phase lasts about 3 hours, with the cervix opening 1 centimeter every hour until reaching 10 centimeters, allowing the baby to come into the world.