HesapHanem

Contraction Timer Calculator

Enter the average interval, duration, and count per hour.

How it is calculated

The interval is the number of minutes from the start of one contraction to the start of the next; the duration is how long a single contraction lasts, in seconds. The tool shows the interval as a frequency, "every N min", then compares your two numbers with the 5-1-1 rule using fixed thresholds: interval ≤ 5 min and duration ≥ 60 s. Both met gives the "meets 5-1-1" message; an interval of 5 minutes or less with shorter contractions gives "frequent, monitor"; an interval above 5 minutes gives "early labor". Interval and duration must be above zero, and a negative count is rejected. The optional count per hour is accepted but does not change the message, and the tool cannot check that the pattern has lasted a full hour. It is an information aid, not medical advice.

Worked example

Contractions start every 4.5 minutes on average and each lasts about 65 seconds; 13 were counted in the last hour. The tool shows every 4.50 min and a duration of 65 sec. Check: 4.5 is at or below 5 minutes and 65 is at or above 60 seconds, so both parts of the rule are met and the message reads "Meets 5-1-1 rule ... active labor, contact provider". It also reminds you the pattern should be sustained for about an hour. With the same 4.5 minutes but 45-second contractions, the message becomes "Frequent ... monitor".

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Measuring the interval from the end of one contraction to the start of the next. The interval is start to start, so it includes the contraction itself.
  • Entering the duration in minutes. The field is in seconds, so a one-minute contraction is 60, not 1.
  • Using a single pair of contractions. The rule describes a sustained pattern, so time several in a row and enter the average.
  • Expecting the count per hour to change the verdict. Only interval and duration are compared; the one-hour requirement is yours to track.
  • Relying on the message instead of your care provider's advice. A timer cannot assess you; if you are worried or unsure, call your midwife or doctor whatever it says.

Sources

About this calculator

Timing contractions turns the raw pattern of a labor into two simple numbers: the interval (time from the start of one contraction to the start of the next) and the duration (how long each contraction itself lasts). The calculator reports the interval as “every N min”; dividing 60 by that number gives contractions per hour, a simple frequency that tracks how labor is progressing.

A commonly cited guideline for recognizing active labor is the 5-1-1 rule: contractions coming about every 5 minutes, each lasting around 1 minute, sustained for at least 1 hour. It is widely used as a general rule of thumb by expecting parents and childbirth educators to gauge when labor may be advancing, alongside other signs, rather than as a diagnostic threshold on its own.

This calculator only takes the interval and duration you enter, shows the interval as a frequency, and compares both against the 5-1-1 pattern; it does not check whether the pattern has lasted a full hour, so you need to track that yourself, and it does not assess your specific situation and is not a substitute for guidance from a midwife or obstetrician.

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Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    Treat the message as a rule-of-thumb label, not a decision. Contractions 3 minutes apart but lasting 45 seconds return the Frequent, monitor message rather than the active-labor one, because the 60-second length is not met; 6 minutes apart at 70 seconds reads Early labor. Many providers give their own thresholds, especially for those living far from the hospital, and anything that worries you merits a call whatever the tool says. Which thresholds were you given?

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