Is there always internal checks for hospital check-ins?

dosafyre

The early post got me wondering: If your water hasn't broken, do hospitals require internal checks normally before they will admit you? Last time, they were more concerned with checking for amniotic fluid (and not putting their fingers in)...so I didn't get one.

But I wonder if without broken waters they have to check? Can you still refuse?

sschwege

Honestly I'm not sure.  You can refuse anything, so you certainly could refuse that as well.  I only asked for limited number of checks so they checked me once in triage and then the last two times were at my request, so 3 all together.  I think I would want to be checked before being admitted though.  What if you are only like 1cm?  I would rather know that and go home.

jteneback

My hospital didn't but I was coming from the OB's office and I was 5 cm there so maybe they told them that?

theladyjess

My hospital reqired one.  They wouldn't admit me until I was at least 4cm.  I arrived at 3cm w/ contrax every 2-3 min.  I stayed in a triage room for an hour and they checked me again.  I still hadn't progressed to 4 and the nurse was debating what to do with me.  I said all I wanted to do was get in the tub.  She took me to a room but said, "I'm not admitting you until you're farther along."  WTH?  My dr came by a little while later (she was on her way to do a c/s) to check on me and said not to worry, she'd take care of getting me admitted.

I think you could refuse, but realize that they could refuse to admit you or delay admitting you until they're sure you're far enough along.

FyreFlyeRush

I'm not 100% sure, but it makes sense to me. They don't want to admit you too early, and of you're aiming for natural, you don't WANT to be admitted too early. I figure cervical checks are justified during labor. 

Sawyerplus1

I'm not sure 100%. When I had both DS (birth center) and DD (hospital) I had an internal check when admitted, to make sure I was dilated enough to be admitted (3cms minimum I think). I'm not sure what they would have done if I had refused, but I really didnt feel it was necessary to refuse, and I had limited checks after that.

jellybeanjean

At the hosp that I work at/deliver at, the only time I haven't checked a patient when admitting her for labor is if she's crowning.  Otherwise, you're checked for many of the reasons above.  If you're checked in the office and found to be dilating/in labor, then you're a direct admit and we don't recheck you just to admit you.  If you're being admitted for something else (SROM, PIH, whatever), then you're not necessarily checked.  But a routine labor admission, yep, you're checked in triage before you're officially admitted.