What's the longest labor can take?

Labor can take a very long time, and what is considered longest depends on definition, but medically, labor can last several days, especially for first-time mothers. The first stage, which includes early labor and active labor up to full dilation, can last 12 to 24 hours for first births and 8 to 12 hours for subsequent births on average, but prodromal or latent labor can go on for days with on and off contractions before active labor begins. The longest labors documented have lasted over 3 days, with some extreme historical cases reported as 4 to 6 days, though modern obstetrics would intervene long before that to avoid risks to mother and baby. Prolonged labor, also called failure to progress, is defined as active labor lasting more than 20 hours for first-time mothers or more than 14 hours for mothers who have given birth before, or pushing for more than 3 to 4 hours without progress. If labor stalls, doctors may use Pitocin to strengthen contractions, break water, or recommend cesarean section. Factors that prolong labor include baby being large, baby being posterior, weak contractions, small pelvis, and first-time birth. While average labor is about 12 to 18 hours for first babies, it is not unusual for it to take 24 to 36 hours from first contraction to birth.