Question for people who have had their membranes stripped

mtaylor404 · April 2014

I hope someone has some experience with this.

I went to my OB yesterday for my regular appointment. She checked my cervix and I was one centimeter and pretty thick. After the exam she started talking about scheduling me for an induction, which I have been hoping to avoid. I asked her if she could strip my membranes instead. She told me that what she had just done was "a very aggressive cervix check" and pretty much the equivalent of stripping my membranes. What do y'all think about that? I mean, it was uncomfortable, but not extremely so and didn't feel that "aggressive." I suppose it was slightly more painful than my last cervix check, but I am also pretty sensitive down there these days. I asked her "well, did you strip my membranes or not?" and she was equivocal about it. I have read about what the procedure is and the purpose of it, so I assumed it would entail something more than what seemed like a pretty normal cervix check. I feel pretty frustrated and left the appointment crying. I am frustrated with her insistence on an induction date that fits her calendar and also that she didn't give me a satisfactory answer about the cervix check/membrane sweep.

I guess my bottom line question is, if you had your membranes stripped, did it feel all that different from a cervix check? Could she have indeed done more than a cervix check and stripped my membranes? Or is she just placating me?

P.S. Aggressive is a horrible way to describe a medical procedure dealing with your vagina. ^#(^

megbmeg · April 2014

I don't have any experience with this, but I'm sorry you had such a frustrating experience! I hope someone else has some info to share.

BookishMomma · April 2014

Not like a cervical check. Basically my doc took her finger and ran it in a circle around the inside of the cervix. It only took a few seconds and was uncomfortable. But definitely felt different than a "check."' I had it done on a Friday afternoon and my water broke that Sunday evening.

edit: typo

mtaylor404 · April 2014

Thanks for your responses!

carlsonbaby2014 · April 2014

I don't have any insight to offer but wanted to send you some ((((hugs)))). Sorry for the lack of a clear cut answer from your Doctor

- how frustrating!

CaitNMatt · April 2014

I had my membranes stripped at 39 week appt with my DD. I was at 2cm at the appt and the dr basically just said "I'm going to strip your membranes so it helps bring on labor." It was uncomfortable, but not horrible. I did bleed a little and about 10 minutes after she did I had my first contraction. My DD was born 24 hrs later! I have a new OB this time, midwife to be specific, and I am going to beg her to do it for me once things start happening down there. Haha I hope this helps and if you are feeling frustrated or confused, you could always call the dr and talk to her about it! Good luck Hun ((hugs))

FeinBride09 · April 2014

Hey ladies. Figured I'd pop in to add m 2 cents since I haven't yet intro'ed on PAL as it's taken a while for DD and I to settle in now that she's home from the NICU.

But, anyways. I had mine stripped at my 39-40 week appt, 2 days before my due date. Granted I was 4 cm at that appt but, I will say for me personally (and keep in mind i was convinced this was gonna be bad and have a high pain tolerance) it was not bad or that noticeable. I have a very good, funny, straight forward friend who best described it as (tmi) 'like a rough fingering from a drink guy in college'. Sorry but that made me LOL. When the doc said shed done it I was like 'that's it??' So I think it depends on a lot of factors for the pain level. Doc also has small hands/fingers. May be part of it.

Now in terms of the induction date. Do NOT let her force you to do something you do not want to do. That is not ok. My doc did not want me to go last 41 weeks but in the end said it's my body my choice and if I chose to set induction past 41 weeks she would not say no. They can do additional monitoring if that is your doctors concern. You don't actually schedule with the doctor. So consider that- talk to whoever calls you to set
The date and tell them when YOU want it set for. As long as it's not a weekend or some day your doc
Doesn't work, why would there be an issue.

That's this mommas 2 cents. I hope it helps and good luck! I went into labor that very night- but I was 4 cm. Fx for
You!!!

mtaylor404 · April 2014

@FeinBride09Your friend's description, (as cringe-worthy as it was) sounds about like what I experienced.

Thanks also for the pep talk about the induction. I am trying my best to stand strong, but they keep using scare tactics and delay tactics to try to force me to induce on the day that they want. One of the doctors in my practice is on call every day of the week, so there is no reason that I should have to induce when they want me to. The nurse also said something like "I am sure you know the risk increases the farther you go along." I found that to be a strange comment, when 41 week is a widely accepted threshold, and there is no reason to go earlier than that if there is no indication of maternal risk or risk to the baby. The nurse even said "in your case, I think it is best to induce at 40 weeks and 5 days." I am not sure what she means by "my case" as I am healthy, young, and have had no complications this pregnancy. Also, she didn't know that the doctor told me that she was going to a conference on Monday and that is why she wanted to induce earlier (so her colleague..in the same practice...wouldn't have to do it....????)

OK, enough venting. Thanks to everyone for your advice and well wishes!

springbeduk2 · April 2014

I'm late replying and also have not had membranes stripped (since will be FTM too), but wanted to say that I'm totally PO'd at your OB for pressuring you about setting an induction date. Especially when it wasn't even your due date yet and at least according to my MWs and other info generally out there the majority of FTMs deliver after, not before, their due dates. A small majority (60%ish I think) but still a majority. And especially since it sounds like it's for her convenience (and maybe profit - some people have said that in many practices the doc. who attends the delivery gets most of the $$ - maybe from all of your pre-natal care in the practice too plus for the birth itself) and not for any medical reason. I mean, you haven't mentioned having BPPs that are showing something to be concerned about or any other issues that would suggest there really is a risk to letting nature take it's course a little longer. My MWs said they won't let me go past 42 weeks and had a pretty clear explanation of how risks start going up faster after that point so that is why that is their threshold (especially now that with early ultrasounds dating is more accurate than it used to be). And I'm way older than you - quite far into AMA territory, actually - so there is a greater chance of risk factors developing and even with that they weren't talking about considering inducing before 42w (well maybe 41w and 5 or 6 days to make sure the birth is by 42 w) unless tests show a problem before that.

Unless *you* have specifically said that you want that particular doc to attend your delivery and would want to be induced if necessary to make that possible, then it is total bull$h1t for her to be pushing you about that at this point. Grrrrrr!!!! If your preference is to wait and you're OK with it if one of the other doctors does the delivery, then they should respect that and leave you alone. If they are really concerned about a risk with waiting then they should be having you get a BPP or whatever other testing they feel is appropriate and then giving you a clear explanation based on actual data/evidence from those tests.

I hope your next visit/checkup is much less stressful and with someone who will be more professional and caring with you! Or, even better, that your LO will start labor on his or her own before that and that it will be on the day when whoever is the nicest doc. in the practice is on call!

[Deleted User] · April 2014

This makes me wonder what I had with DS. The NP said nothing about stripping my membranes so I probably would say it was more of an aggressive cervix check but I was crampy, started having bloody discharge right after that appointment, and was in labor by the following evening. Could just have been coincidence, though.

Either way, I hope you see some action soon so that your doctor doesn't feel the need to pressure you for an induction because that's lame if there's no medical reason for it. :-q

mtaylor404 · April 2014

@springbeduk2 Thank you for your reply! I really appreciate feeling like I have some camaraderie in my position to wait on an induction. I agree with everything you said. I know that many people say 42 weeks is the acceptable wait time, and if it was totally up to me that is probably how far I would be willing to go. Granted, I knew long ago that this doctor has said that 41 weeks is how long they like to wait (in fact, another doctor in the same practice said "sometime soon after the 41 mark.") Based on that, I have accepted and anticiapated that 41 week threshold my whole pregnancy. Now that they are pushing me to induce earlier than 41, I feel like I am getting "jipped" out of what I expected/they promised- and all based on the doctor's convenience (and potentially profit!!!)

I haven't had a BPP or an NST yet, but I am scheduled for one on Wednesday. I am trying to arm myself with as much information as I can so that I can combat any pushes I get to induce. My doula has reccomended making sure that I am hydrated so my fluid looks good and that I have eaten so that he is moving. Of course I am MORE than happy to induce if it is medically warranted, but I am hoping to avoid an unecessary induction. I also hope that he shows up on his own soon! I've done just about everything to naturally induce- walking, pineapple, stairs, sex, etc. Hell, I even made my mom drive me down a cobblestone street yesterday! I am getting the feeling that this little one just wants to keep cooking as long as he and his mama are both healthy!

amwangel · April 2014

I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry you're dealing with pressure to induce. I talked to my OB last week about it because I'm also worried! (She said I can go past 41 weeks with NSTs - but was all, "Hardly anyone still won't be induced by then." Ugh. Just give me a chance!)

FWIW, sex is what started labor with my son. So don't give up on it!

springbeduk2 · April 2014

@mtaylor404 - Good luck on the BPP today! If you haven't gone for it yet ... aside from the tips your doula told you the only other thing I've heard/learned at my BPPs and appointments after is that by this late (and you're even later) some calcification spots on the placenta are normal/OK ... sounded like things they wouldn't want to see at 32 or 34 weeks are ok at 38 and later. So that might be something you want to check about just to have in your quiver of information. I hope you get one of the more talkative sonographers, too, so you know as much as possible about the results before seeing doc.

And, of course, I hope your LO decides he/she is fully baked soon! I've heard or read that eating spicy food is another thing on the list of folk remedies/tips for starting labor ... though then again lots of us eat spicy foods every day anyway. My MWs say to take evening primrose oil (starting at week 36 or 37) to make sure the body has what it needs to make the prostoglandins needed for cervix changes when they body is ready to make them. But then some people say EPO is not good because can maybe increase bleeding potential. And probably it's a bit late for EPO to be helpful if it even is to begin with.

Pmmama · April 2014

With my ds, my ob did this. It was just a little more pressure then a regular cervix check. The next morning I lost my mucus plug but still didn't go into labor- it was two wks after that I was induced. Ugh!

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Question for people who have had their membranes stripped

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Began trying for a baby January 2012
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Question for people who have had their membranes stripped

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Began trying for a baby January 2012BFP 4.25.2013 EDD 1.3.2014 MMC 6.3.2013 D&C 6.19.2013BFP 11.3.2013 CP 11.6.2013BFP 3.31.2014 EDD 12.10.2014 Baby boy Carlson born 12.19.2014

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Began trying for a baby January 2012
BFP 4.25.2013 EDD 1.3.2014 MMC 6.3.2013 D&C 6.19.2013
BFP 11.3.2013 CP 11.6.2013
BFP 3.31.2014 EDD 12.10.2014 Baby boy Carlson born 12.19.2014