internal examination?

jessicasuecrabtree · December 2014

Hi ladies

Im currently 36+4 and havnt had any internal examination or anything and I keep reading that women know if they are starting to dialate. Is this how everyone is finding out?

UberBiz · December 2014

Even at this point, checking isn't conclusive on anything. You could be 2-3cm dilated, and not go into labor til 41w, or you could be closed up tight, and wind up in L+D two days later. My doctor checks, but I think it's just a formality, cuz unless you are contracting regularly and can't get it to subside, what's going on with the cervix really isn't indicative of how you may be progressing.

kshare18 · December 2014

I didn't have one the entire pregnancy. I finally asked for one when I was two, yes two weeks late. I was still at 0 and completely closed. It was very uncomfortable... I went into labor that night. In my case, all the internal check did was make me more upset because I was so late and felt like the baby was never going to come.

baloneydisc · December 2014

My OB did check me at 37 & 38w, but only because I was being induced and he needed to know where I was at to decide which meds to use.

UberBiz · December 2014

I'm having an RCS so I have no idea why my OB needs to check at all, honestly. If I go into labor before the surgery date, I'm still going to have an RCS.

jennypolkadots · December 2014

My midwife is only going to check me when I feel the urge to push, to make sure the cervix is open and no parts need to be pushed back. That is even optional and up to us.

Cervical checks give almost no usable information. You can be 4 cm at 38 weeks and not go into labor until 41 weeks, and have a 12+ hour labor. You could be completely closed at 38, but deliver quickly just a few days later. Even during labor there is no point because the cervix rarely dilates at a predictable rate. So if it took you 12 hours to get to 4 cm, you could go to 10 in an hour or it could take a day to get there. Every labor is different and knowing the dilation is usually discouraging. The only good thing a cervical check can tell you is the baby's station (-3 to +3) so you can wait to start pushing. A good midwife can usually tell station pretty good from palpating from the outside.

Every cervical check introduces bacteria into your birth canal and increases the chance of infection. They are also physically uncomfortable and invasive. Some doctors claim they have to do them to feel if the baby is head down. This is nonsense, as you can feel better by palpating the abdomen and being aware of fetal positioning. The only reason I can think to have a check is if you are being induced as it could change what meds they use and when you are induced, if they are using a Bishop score this could make induction more likely to be successful. Other than that, I would never have one unless there was a true medical need. I have no idea why they are common place and so many women allow it.

jessicasuecrabtree · December 2014

Thanku ladies

good to know I dont really need one at all

amieeyoung · December 2014

It is your choice. If you don't want one you don't have to get one. I personally like getting checked to see if I am progressing at all, but mostly because I had to be induced last time.

But, yes , that is how I know I am dilating. Honestly, though it doesn't mean much- I was at 2 for weeks last time and as mentioned ended up induced.

ashiscute · December 2014

amieeyoung said:

It is your choice. If you don't want one you don't have to get one. I personally like getting checked to see if I am progressing at all, but mostly because I had to be induced last time. But, yes , that is how I know I am dilating. Honestly, though it doesn't mean much- I was at 2 for weeks last time and as mentioned ended up induced.

I agree with this. I liked getting the checks even though they are in no way informative. But for me they weren't in the least bit uncomfortable. I think I got them at 37 weeks on.

llambrose · December 2014

I don't see why they are that big of a deal. My doctor plans to start them in two weeks at my next appointment. I don't even remember them being uncomfortable with my first pregnancy so I would never even think of refusing them. I guess I would rather just be checked, I never read much more into them than what I was told. I was at 1-2 cm for like the last 4 weeks of that pregnancy.

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