Early (or latent) labor can last up to 20 hours for a first delivery and 10 to 12 hours for successive deliveries, from the commencement of labor to 3 cm of dilatation. Active labor: Dilation to 7 cm continues for an average of 5 hours in first deliveries and 2 hours in subsequent births. Most women give birth between 8 and 38 weeks' gestation. The risks increase with dilation beyond 6 cm or if it proceeds too fast. The benefits of giving birth before completing your 37th week' gestation are increased as your baby grows older and more mature. These include greater strength of heartbeat, breathing, and brain activity as well as better eyesight, hearing, and ability to taste food. There is also less risk of infection and trauma to the baby. On the other hand, there is also increased risk of hemorrhage after birth, ruptured uterus, and obstructed labor if dilation progresses too quickly or if you are already in active labor at 7 centimeters. You should discuss with your health care provider how far along you are in your pregnancy when deciding how close to fully dilated you should be prior to delivering. Health care providers may advise you to avoid labor induction until after 40 weeks due to the increased risks of severe bleeding and infection. They will also likely recommend that you avoid analgesics such as pain relievers and Tylenol during labor to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.