Abnormal labour

It is essential that before labour can be defined as abnormal, the na­ture of normal labour is fully understood and accepted. Much of what defines an abnormal labour is derived from studying spontan­eous labours that result in vaginal birth. Failure to achieve the time limits and milestones of these labours is what separates normal from abnormal. The definition also implies that abnormal labours are as­sociated with a higher risk of maternal and fetal/neonatal adverse outcomes or an inability to achieve a spontaneous vaginal birth.