How often are vaginal exams performed during labor?

As needed: Vaginal exams in normal labor determine progress; they are cervical checks. Unless there is infection or bleeding risk these exams are safe and not painful, and necessary to determine if labor is on track. In a short quick labor there will be fewer exams than in a longer one. In a hospital setting more invasive exams may be performed if there's concern about the baby's well-being. Hope this helps.