Cervical Checks- Question

clebl24 · June 2014

I had my first yesterday at 35 weeks. No discomfort. My doc was able to confirm LO was head down. I think she plans to check weekly.

Lhalliburton · June 2014

iris427 said:

splaster79 said:

What does a membranes sweep do?

It releases prostaglandins to help your cervix progress or stimulate labor. I think the evidence on whether it works is mixed but there are some studies finding that it actually can help bring labor on sooner and prevent you from going past due.

***************************STUCK******************************************************

Yes, I think, like other "natural" induction methods (no pitocin, cervadill, etc.) It only works if your body is close/ready anyways.

iris427 · June 2014

Lhalliburton said:

iris427 said:

splaster79 said:

What does a membranes sweep do?

It releases prostaglandins to help your cervix progress or stimulate labor. I think the evidence on whether it works is mixed but there are some studies finding that it actually can help bring labor on sooner and prevent you from going past due.

***************************STUCK******************************************************

Yes, I think, like other "natural" induction methods (no pitocin, cervadill, etc.) It only works if your body is close/ready anyways.

Yep. And I mean, not even medical induction agents work on everyone. Pit, Cervidil, etc. also work better if your body is ready anyway, and fail in a lot of people. There are no guaranteed methods for inducing labor unfortunately.

shanaynerz · June 2014

I've been getting checked via u/s every 4 weeks since 18 weeks due to carrying twins and a history of preterm labour/loss. I had my first manual check last week (35 weeks) and I assume will have another today. I may be induced next week (I hope!) so my situation is a bit different.

With DD, I got my first check (and sweep) at 38 weeks I believe and delivered at 39. That pregnancy was healthy and with a singleton, so not as high risk as this time. Getting checked now in your pregnancy can't hurt really IMO at least.

helloblueeyes · June 2014

My doc doesn't do them till 39 weeks. But they also have a standard practice to do a u/s at 38 to determine position. Which i'm guessing plays a part.

alohababy14 · June 2014

My MW asks if I want a check but doesn't require it. I haven't asked, but maybe that will change if I go late.

EllaSmella · June 2014

My midwife starts them at 36 weeks, which is sort of surprising since they are usually low intervention. I declined them until 38 weeks with my son and have declined the last two with this pregnancy. As PP have said, it doesn't really tell you much and just depressed me last time because I wasn't making any progress even though I was checked a few days before I went into labor.

TugboatSheila · June 2014

darkangel42 said:
I had MW care both times so not an OB doctor.
Neither did/does regular checks.

The first checked once on her way in to do a membrane sweep when I was overdue and other than that, I was only checked whilst in the L&D unit in blatantly obvious labor. There wasn't really any need for her to do a check at the sweep since I wasn't in labor at that point but she couldn't really avoid it when she had her hand up there anyway.

This time I got checked once to see if there was any progress (in slow labor) and was offered a check at the next scheduled appointment but it wasn't pushed and I wasn't bothered for it so didn't have one.
The team this time will offer if there's a reason for it (like slow labor) but won't demand it. I think they will probably check once in labor 'properly' but that's about it.

With the risk of infection and the high likelihood of it not telling anything useful, I don't really see the point unless something prompts a check and that seems to have been both MW teams' stance as well.

Anyway, who in their right mind would WANT someone else to put a hand up their hooha if they didn't absolutely need to?!

Well, I guess I'm not in my right mind because I asked for one today.

And it made me feel better to know what my cervix was doing.

redhotmama7 · June 2014

I've yet to be asked for a cervical check and I'm over 39w. I plan to ask for one next week since they want to induce at 41w... I want to be able to calculate my bishop score... Other than that I wouldn't even be checked until labor.

jamboree jess · June 2014

My OB started at 37 weeks. Holy Hell are they unpleasant, and discouraging. I know I could go into labor at any moment, but for some reason being in extreme discomfort only to be told I'm still only an itty bit dilated and high is lame.

Katieryan13 · June 2014

aggiecyd said:
My MWs last time started at 36 weeks. The group I'm with now doesn't do them until active labor and I'd refuse them if they started earlier anyway.
I am genuinely confused about why you'd get them to "know what's going on" if you know the information means absolutely nothing.

My doctor starts them at 36 weeks. I know they mean nothing but I still want to know. Maybe it will give me some motivation to finish the nursery and start some baby laundry.

iris427 · June 2014

jamboree jess said:

My OB started at 37 weeks. Holy Hell are they unpleasant, and discouraging. I know I could go into labor at any moment, but for some reason being in extreme discomfort only to be told I'm still only an itty bit dilated and high is lame.

You know you don't have to have them done, right? You can decline the check if it's hurting/discouraging you.

mamakiss · June 2014

I haven't declined them because they don't hurt when my doctors give them. When the L&D nurses did it, it was awful and painful. I would probably decline them if they had been like that with my doctors but to be honest, it hasn't been more than awkward feeling when my doctors do it. I dot know if the pain is a personal thing, dependent on the location of your cervix, or if it has to do with the doctor, but I don't care so much.

BBColt78 · June 2014

They also do not do internal checks at my office. I was glad for that as I see it as unnecessary. By all means, do it if you want, just not something I feel I need.

chevronseven · June 2014

I requested as few vaginal exams as possible and my MW agrees. They don't check unless there's a reason, like they're not sure if your water broke or if you've been laboring a long time and they need to see how dilated you are. Which I am glad for because I have learned that they can't use any lube on the speculum when you're pregnant AND pregnancy makes you extra sensitive so it fucking hurts.

iris427 · June 2014

livelaughlove88 said:
I requested as few vaginal exams as possible and my MW agrees. They don't check unless there's a reason, like they're not sure if your water broke or if you've been laboring a long time and they need to see how dilated you are. Which I am glad for because I have learned that they can't use any lube on the speculum when you're pregnant AND pregnancy makes you extra sensitive so it fucking hurts.

They don't use a speculum to do cervical checks. And why wouldn't they be able to use lube during pregnancy? I'm pretty sure I've had lube used during pelvic exams/vaginal ultrasounds while pregnant.

chevronseven · June 2014

iris427 said:

livelaughlove88 said:
I requested as few vaginal exams as possible and my MW agrees. They don't check unless there's a reason, like they're not sure if your water broke or if you've been laboring a long time and they need to see how dilated you are. Which I am glad for because I have learned that they can't use any lube on the speculum when you're pregnant AND pregnancy makes you extra sensitive so it fucking hurts.
They don't use a speculum to do cervical checks. And why wouldn't they be able to use lube during pregnancy? I'm pretty sure I've had lube used during pelvic exams/vaginal ultrasounds while pregnant.

Really? Well I went in a week ago because I thought my water had broken (it hadn't) and she said they were going to check my cervix and pulled out the speculum. And when I asked why on earth it hurt so much when my past gyno exams have been nothing more than mildly uncomfortable, she said part of the reason was that they couldn't use lube. I assumed because it could cause infection for the baby? But now that you mention it they did use it for my first ultrasound.... But if they can keep that damn speculum away from me I will be super excited!

[Deleted User] · June 2014

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Lavelle7 · June 2014

My office will start checking me at 36 wks and did not do the Group B yesterday claiming I was positive in my urine from the beginning of pregnancy... I thought that was odd :-/

I will be 36 +3 next week and honestly cannot wait to get checked.

Cass533 · June 2014

iris427 said:

jcartz said:

I had one yesterday at 38 weeks bc I wanted my membranes swept if possible, otherwise I would have declined.

Did you have it done? My doctor won't do a membrane sweep until 39 weeks. If I'm still pregnant by my next appointment (39+4) I'm considering having it done.

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

TugboatSheila · June 2014

aggiecyd said:

My MWs last time started at 36 weeks. The group I'm with now doesn't do them until active labor and I'd refuse them if they started earlier anyway. I am genuinely confused about why you'd get them to "know what's going on" if you know the information means absolutely nothing.

Because "knowing what's going on" makes me feel ready to do this.

So there's that.

Caitlin1216 · June 2014

Cass533 said:

iris427 said:

jcartz said:

I had one yesterday at 38 weeks bc I wanted my membranes swept if possible, otherwise I would have declined.

Did you have it done? My doctor won't do a membrane sweep until 39 weeks. If I'm still pregnant by my next appointment (39+4) I'm considering having it done.

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

If your Dr is wanting to do it, I would trust his judgement over women who don't have a medical degree, but that's just my opinion. If you have concerns I would ask your Dr. about the risks and why he feels it's necessary.

purpleXdandelion · June 2014

My OB asked me at each appt starting at 36 weeks if I wanted her to check. I'm having a RCS so it wasn't super necessary, but I thought might as well. Except last week cuz my tummy was upset and I was worried if there was any pressure at all down there I'd poop on the table.

TugboatSheila · June 2014

purpleXdandelion said:

My OB asked me at each appt starting at 36 weeks if I wanted her to check. I'm having a RCS so it wasn't super necessary, but I thought might as well. Except last week cuz my tummy was upset and I was worried if there was any pressure at all down there I'd poop on the table.

Oh man. I would have done the same thing. I'm not ready for my doctor to see me poop on a table.

Hope you feel better though!

seells · June 2014

Cass533 said:

iris427 said:

jcartz said:

I had one yesterday at 38 weeks bc I wanted my membranes swept if possible, otherwise I would have declined.

Did you have it done? My doctor won't do a membrane sweep until 39 weeks. If I'm still pregnant by my next appointment (39+4) I'm considering having it done.

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

I think risks are mostly the introduction to bacteria and in a small number of cases it can pre-maturely rupture your waters.

[Deleted User] · June 2014

Cass533 said:

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

I would ask him why he wants to do it. It seems early to do if there's no real medical reason to try to get you to go into labor early. It won't do anything if your body isn't ready anyway, so it seems a little pointless and if it were me, I'd probably decline unless the doctor provided a really good reason.

Cass533 · June 2014

LeaLupins said:

Cass533 said:

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

I would ask him why he wants to do it. It seems early to do if there's no real medical reason to try to get you to go into labor early. It won't do anything if your body isn't ready anyway, so it seems a little pointless and if it were me, I'd probably decline unless the doctor provided a really good reason.

I did ask my doctor why he would want to do it so early, and my only answer was a surprised look and his explanation that "most women want to go into labor as early as possible." That did not seem like a good enough reason to me...

bullybutt · June 2014

Cass533 said:

LeaLupins said:

Cass533 said:

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

I would ask him why he wants to do it. It seems early to do if there's no real medical reason to try to get you to go into labor early. It won't do anything if your body isn't ready anyway, so it seems a little pointless and if it were me, I'd probably decline unless the doctor provided a really good reason.

I did ask my doctor why he would want to do it so early, and my only answer was a surprised look and his explanation that "most women want to go into labor as early as possible." That did not seem like a good enough reason to me...

It's not. Let your body have a chance to do it's thing first...

iris427 · June 2014

Lavelle7 said:

My office will start checking me at 36 wks and did not do the Group B yesterday claiming I was positive in my urine from the beginning of pregnancy... I thought that was odd :-/ I will be 36 +3 next week and honestly cannot wait to get checked.

@lavelle7 It's standard of care to treat a GBS urine culture anytime in pregnancy as an overall positive. I think it's because women who have it in their urine tend to be heavily colonized and are more likely to have a GBS-infected baby, so it's best to skip the test and just do the antibiotics in labor.

Lavelle7 · June 2014

@iris427 ok that makes sense! I was not going to deny the treatment, I was just curious as to why the actual test was not performed like my other pregnancies. Thank you

jennp1979 · June 2014

I had my membranes swept on Tuesday at 37w3d...I started having more frequent contractions since and lost my mucas plug 2 days later. I have high BP and GD and scheduled for an induction the week of my due date...the doc said it's better for me to go natural instead of the induction and wanted to see if my body would react to the scraping in order to make this happen do we shall see...

splaster79 · June 2014

For those of you who have been checked and you had some bleeding, were you dilated? I was checked today at 38 weeks, Dr says, Nothing going on up there. I had no bleeding

jcartz · June 2014

Cass533 said:

iris427 said:

jcartz said:

I had one yesterday at 38 weeks bc I wanted my membranes swept if possible, otherwise I would have declined.

Did you have it done? My doctor won't do a membrane sweep until 39 weeks. If I'm still pregnant by my next appointment (39+4) I'm considering having it done.

^ This. I was under the impression that a lot of docs won't offer a membrane sweep until you are almost over due, but at my 36 week appointment, my doc started talking about sweeping my membranes the next time he saw me (37 weeks). Isn't that way too early? Are there any risks to having your membranes swept too early?

Sorry just saw these! I think w STMs some practices will do them earlier? I could have declined but I have an induction scheduled for my due date, so if nothing else, the goal is for the sweep to make the cervix more favorable if the induction does happen by releasing the prostaglandins. I was only a fingertip dilated at my Wed appt so she couldn't do a full sweep anyways.

Cass533 · June 2014

TKT17 said:

For those of you who have been checked and you had some bleeding, were you dilated? I was checked today at 38 weeks, Dr says, Nothing going on up there. I had no bleeding
I'm apparently 1/2 cm dilated. She said this can make the cervix more irritable, so could explain the bleeding.

I was 1 1/2 cm dilated, 50% effaced. But my doctor said I was at station -3, so he had to go up pretty far to feel for effacement (he actually felt baby's head! So weird...) so he said the bleeding might have occurred because he had to go in so far.

Pinksundrops · June 2014

iris427 said:

splaster79 said:

What does a membranes sweep do?

It releases prostaglandins to help your cervix progress or stimulate labor. I think the evidence on whether it works is mixed but there are some studies finding that it actually can help bring labor on sooner and prevent you from going past due.

This is going to be TMI but I think I read something about semen having prostaglandins way back in first tri, so I've been bugging DH about making sure he's giving me plenty of prostaglandins since first tri. The word totally grosses him out and doing so cracks me up every time

. Nice to realize that's what the membrane sweep does, so now I have more fuel for my fire when I tease him about them

)

By the way, I love this thread. I've been wondering about cervical checks myself at 36w3d and have been leaning on the wanting to refuse side if I'm offered one, even during labor. Out of both my births that is the one pain I actually remember, and pretty sure I kicked someone or something the first time. NOT fun. Still on the fence, but am almost through this thread and enjoying reading the different thoughts. Thanks, OP.

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