Q&A: I have a history of fast labors and I'm scared to get pregnant again.

The first thing I would recommend is a careful review by your doctor(s) as to whether you had prematurely dilated before going into those light-speed labors. If so, it may be that you have an incompetent cervix. If not, then, yes, you have really fast labors and the next one is likely to be the same.

In my patients who have a similar history, I begin checking for cervical dilatation a few weeks before the usual times. So I begin the checks at about 35 weeks. I will also do one at 20, 24, 28, and 32 weeks, just to further reassure myself about an incompetent cervix. Assuming all is closed until the actual labor, I would find it prudent to do an elective induction--for many reasons--not the least being that you don't want to have your baby in the car!

Fast labors have a higher risk of placental abruption, so an induction would allow things to proceed in a more controlled way, with a whole hospital wrapped around you should some problems of rapid delivery develop.

You should make your decision about having another baby or not based on whether you WANT another baby, not based on what might happen. Leave that worrying to your doctor.