Final answer:
The term for minimal dilation lasting more than 20 hours in nulliparous women or more than 14 hours in multiparous women is called prolonged labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for minimal dilation lasting more than 20 hours in nulliparous women or more than 14 hours in multiparous women is called prolonged labor. Prolonged labor refers to the duration of the active phase of labor, specifically the time it takes for the cervix to dilate to a certain extent.
During labor, the cervix typically dilates at a rate of about 1 cm per hour in nulliparous women (those who haven't given birth before) and 1.2 cm per hour in multiparous women (those who have given birth before). If the dilation process takes significantly longer than these time intervals, it is considered prolonged labor.
For example, if a nulliparous woman's cervix dilates less than 1 cm in 2 hours, it would be considered prolonged labor. Similarly, if a multiparous woman's cervix dilates less than 1.2 cm in 2 hours, it would also be categorized as prolonged labor.