Cervical Exam just before 38 weeks

Valo2010 · January 2015

Hi All,
Haven't been on since earlier in the pregnancy, but hoping you could answer some questions for me. I don't know if my OB was having an "off" day today, but she wasn't very responsive to my questions or concerns.

From your experience, were your internal exams (checking for cervical dilation/effacement) painful? I had one today and immediately jumped back when she got her hand there, and continued to pull back and wince, because it hurt really badly, like I had been bruised and she was pressing on it.... And I have had continual discomfort in my lower abdomen in the hours since.

Second, we had discussed that my first baby was born by now (at 37 weeks), and I had asked how much longer she thinks I could go (bad question, I know, but I'm super uncomfortable and tired). She said, "oh, you will likely go the whole way (I assume that means 40 weeks), and this one will be much harder than your first." So I asked why, and she just said, "it just will," as she walked out the door. Everything else I am reading says second pregnancies and labors are generally quicker and easier... So I was a little thrown off by her commentary... Have you had a doctor tell you this, or have you experienced a longer/harder pregnancy and delivery the second time around?

Thanks!

tee18 · January 2015

This is my second so no comments on that, but the general experience of my friends has been that it's been faster than their first.

Exams are always uncomfortable like that for me too....

misshart00 · January 2015

When I was at the hospital on Saturday, yes, all three of my internal exams were very painful.

Also, every pregnancy is different. While second babies sometimes come more quickly, it's not necessarily always true.

Dannylion24 · January 2015

I declined a cervical exam at my last appointment (37 weeks) BC mine are so painful. I also get mild spotting and cramping usually for the rest of the day - it stinks. Is your uterus tilted back by any chance?

I'm on baby #4 and subsequent deliveries have been easier/shorter, though my most recent one was the most painful by far. Hard to say why your dr would make a comment like that while walking out the door, but I wouldn't hesitate to call back and see if she can elaborate a little more.

Good luck!

Valo2010 · January 2015

Thanks.

She kept making commentary like, "oh, if you can't handle this, how are you going to handle labor?" It was really unusual for her to be this harsh.

I didn't experience the cervical checks the first time around until labor, because I delivered at 37 weeks... So this is all new to me. It was five hours ago, and I'm still uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if it is even worth it to have her check at each weekly appointment.

misshart00 · January 2015

Valo2010 said:
Thanks.

She kept making commentary like, "oh, if you can't handle this, how are you going to handle labor?" It was really unusual for her to be this harsh.

I didn't experience the cervical checks the first time around until labor, because I delivered at 37 weeks... So this is all new to me. It was five hours ago, and I'm still uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if it is even worth it to have her check at each weekly appointment.

That seems so odd. I hope she was just having a weird day.

Dannylion24 · January 2015

My new OB seemed really surprised when I declined a check last week, but w preg #2 I never received any at all (delivered at 38 weeks) and w #3 I only had one on my actual due date (delivered 4 days late). Since you can be dilated for weeks and it doesn't necessarily mean anything it's my personal preference not to have them done unless medically necessary - they do hurt bad and I don't like 'shaking' things up below the hood. This time around the doc did do one at 36 weeks ... Caught me totally by surprise after doing the strep b swab. I was not happy. I was apparently dilated 1cm back then ... And no action yet. I feel like that proved my point that there really isn't much point in receiving internals without a compelling medical reason. Of course I'm no medical professional so take my story w a grain of salt!

mishka29 · January 2015

My midwives do not do checks. I would also decline if they did. I can maybe see them being useful towards the end or if considering an induction.

kdhuling · January 2015

I had a check at 32 weeks because I was having a lot of BH and heading out of town for Christmas so she wanted to make sure I wasn't dilated. It was uncomfortable but I wouldn't say it was super painful.

Ceefome · January 2015

Hopefully your doctor is not always like that. Yikes. I think internals depend on both the patient and the doctor. Some women may always be uncomfortable with them, and some doctors may always be "bad" at them.
As for 2nd deliveries - my first was born at 37 weeks, her sister was born at 40w3d. Yeah, that messed with my head. But my subsequent labors all have been faster and easier, but again, there's never a guarantee.

maryxc1 · January 2015

I had an exam at 35 weeks because she was "down there" doing the strep test anyway. I didn't have one at my 36 week appointment and don't remember when they started doing them with DS. They are always pretty painful for me, but the pain doesn't really last.

The nurse educator at my OB's office said on average second deliveries were half the length of first (which I am counting on after a 27 hour one the first time).

Beth.1212 · January 2015

Unless there's a medical reason, I would decline cervical checks. Personally, I don't see the point. They don't seem to tell you much of anything (ex. my understanding is that they're not really indicative of how close you are to delivering).

As for the "it'll be harder because it will be, see ya later" comment, that's just wrong of her to do to you! Your doctor should always be willing to answer your questions, and "just because" isn't an answer. I'd definitely call back to follow up and insist on an explanation - while being firm but polite. (Something along the lines of "I may have misunderstood, but at the last appointment Dr. Unhelpful indicated that this labor and delivery would be more difficult than my last. I wanted to understand how and why she thinks that this time will be more difficult. This has been weighing on my mind, and I really need a more complete explanation." I wouldn't back down till the dr admitted that she had no basis for saying that, or explained the basis for her statement.)

I really don't like her mocking comments about handling labor. Just because you don't like being in pain doesn't mean that you won't be able to handle a more painful experience just fine. An OB should never put it in a patient's mind that she won't be able to handle labor. As a rule, women have enough labor pain anxiety as it is. I really, really hope she was just having a horribly off day and isn't like this in general. At my OB/midwife office, there are three doctors and three midwives, and you can request to see any of them. If she is generally this insensitive and there's someone else in the practice you can make your next few appointments with, I might try for that.

Valo2010 · January 2015

Thanks, all. Your responses have put me at ease. I will likely decline the cervical check next week, as it just was too uncomfortable to do, if it isn't medically necessary...

I figure, if I need to know how close labor is, I'll wait for contractions, and then I will know, "whoop, I guess I'm having the baby today!" lol

As far as labor is concerned, I'm not too worried. Baby is head down, and hopefully stuck that way for the remainder, and I had horrible back labor the first time (2010), and survived quite a few hours of pain (before help from an unexpected/unplanned epidural)... So I am leaving my pain management options open to see how Labor Day plays out.

Hopefully it's easy-peasy for all of us!

FX for easy labors & deliveries, healthy babies, and swift recoveries, all around!

DizzyMom1 · January 2015

Sorry you went through that, she sounds like she was having a bad day! I have also heard that 2nd labors are easier and faster, maybe she was just saying it might be harder since baby will probably be full term and bigger? The checks are always very painful for me so I wouldn't worry about that.

Chcaggie1 · January 2015

sorry she was kinda rude today. I say give her some grace since you said she isn't usually like this and bring up your questions again at the next appt. I mean if you remain in pain throughout the day it may be worth calling back but otherwise ask about the delivery at the next appt. Everyone has bad days, perhaps today was hers.

On another note... GEEZ ya'll have scared me!! Crap, I wasn't expecting the cervical exams to be painful. :-( Uncomfortable yes but not downright painful. I actually think I had one early on if I'm remembering correctly. At the time I would describe it as very uncomfortable but not painful. Hopefully that will be my experience moving forward.

Hope you start feeling better!

amt0312 · January 2015

Geesh, she was definitely rude to you. All my cervical exams were uncomfortable, particularly this time around since I have a lovely varicose vein near the entrance. My doctor is a male and his hands are not exactly small, so definitely some pain there. He swept my membranes yesterday and that was freaking brutal.

On that note, yes, cervical exams are uncomfortable, but pain is all relative. I survived a med-free labor and I'm still a wuss about getting blood drawn, shots, and cervical exams. Whatever. I'll do med-free again this time if I can handle it.

Dannylion24 · January 2015

amt0312 said:
Geesh, she was definitely rude to you. All my cervical exams were uncomfortable, particularly this time around since I have a lovely varicose vein near the entrance. My doctor is a male and his hands are not exactly small, so definitely some pain there. He swept my membranes yesterday and that was freaking brutal.

On that note, yes, cervical exams are uncomfortable, but pain is all relative. I survived a med-free labor and I'm still a wuss about getting blood drawn, shots, and cervical exams. Whatever. I'll do med-free again this time if I can handle it.

ugh, I'm having my membranes swept on Monday and I'm scuuuured. Everyone I've talked to said it was pretty awful! How far along are you? @amt0312‌ ‌

aybo · January 2015

Dame it now I don't want to do the check tomorrow's my first one....

Zsmommmy · January 2015

My.exam was a little painful as well it was a female dr with small hands and she just couldn't find her way @ the ladies that have had thier membranes swept whats it for

Dannylion24 · January 2015

I can't speak for anyone else, but mine is being done at 39 weeks w the intention/hope of inducing labor. I have some major circulation/varicose vein/blood clot issues in my legs which actually resulted in a large vein in my ankle rupturing through the skin yesterday (it gushed blood like I had been stabbed) and since the only real 'fix' is delivering (& therefore alleviating the pressure on my lower extremities) , my dr is hoping to speed things along. Until then basically the vein on my ankle will probably remain open bc it can't heal properly and the vascular specialist today said I an expect more to rupture ... So yeah, I'm really hoping that the membrane stripping does the trick and I don't need pitocin.

amt0312 · January 2015

@dannylion24 I'll be 38 weeks on Friday, so I was about 37.5 weeks when the doc did it. It appears to have not taken, although I've been extra crampy and mild bleeding since he did it on Monday.

The procedure hurt and I was not prepared for it. Lol, he didn't tell me how it was gonna be so I was a bit shocked, but all in all, once it was over I was fine. It lasted about 45 seconds after he checked my cervix.

amt0312 · January 2015

Zsmommmy said:

My.exam was a little painful as well it was a female dr with small hands and she just couldn't find her way @ the ladies that have had thier membranes swept whats it for

membrane sweeping is a procedure where the doctor separates the amniotic sac from the lining of the uterus to help kick start labor. It's only got a 50% chance of working within 24-48 hours. The separation of the sac from the uterus causes a surge of prostaglandins that can start contractions, thus leading to labor.

Another source of prostaglandins is semen, so ST is another way to help start labor ;-)

Dannylion24 · January 2015

amt0312 said:
@dannylion24 I'll be 38 weeks on Friday, so I was about 37.5 weeks when the doc did it. It appears to have not taken, although I've been extra crampy and mild bleeding since he did it on Monday.

The procedure hurt and I was not prepared for it. Lol, he didn't tell me how it was gonna be so I was a bit shocked, but all in all, once it was over I was fine. It lasted about 45 seconds after he checked my cervix.

Ahhh @amt0312‌ - Im so sorry that it didn't 'take'! This is my 4th and I'm currently only a fingertip dilated with no cervical shortening or anything, but I've still got my fingers crossed. My mil had her membranes swept at 40 weeks with her 4th and it did nothing(baby ended up going a week late), however my mom had it done at 38 weeks with her 4th (my little brother) and he was born within 24 hours. So a 50% chance sounds about right. I just really want to avoid pitocin and a medical induction so I'm hoping/praying/begging that it will be the ticket! But I'm so intimidated by the procedure at the same time bc even just the cervical checks are mega painful for me :-p

amt0312 · January 2015

I hope it all ends up working out for you! I would also want to avoid pitocin as well! You will be just fine with the membrane sweeping, I'm sure. Its sucky, but over very quickly! I have read that for women who have had multiple children and are later on in their pregnancies, that it doesn't even hurt. So maybe it will be that way for you!!

Valo2010 · January 2015

Appointment this morning was much better. I decided to go ahead with the cervical check just to be sure 1) I wasn't just being a wimp, and 2) If it hurt the same way again, we could try to figure out what the issue was.

It did NOT hurt this time. It was uncomfortable, much like a pap smear is uncomfortable, but the tenderness and the OUCH factor, just were not there. Something was wrong with me/my cervix last week because she barely touched me and I jumped. I was happy that whatever it was has corrected itself, but sorry I am not better able to explain what it was last week.

As for progress... I have none. still no dilation or effacement at 38 and 4. My first baby was born at 37 weeks, so I am a LITTLE over being pregnant this time around. lol I am thankful that I am past the full-term mark, but definitely ready to meet the little guy.

knottie6c44e164bac174e2 · January 2015

I've been examined 2 times already I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow and I was dilated 1-2 cm and effaced 60% but it was incredibly uncomfortable for me too I even had some light pink when I wiped a few hours after

my doctor also told me she thought I was going to have a hard time because my pelvis was small and he was high but I heard that the pelvic exams don't hurt as bad when the baby moves further down

sugarpeas79 · January 2015

What are they doing down there that is so painful? I know with Pap smears they are scraping your cervix with a swab, which I would expect to hurt a little (and for me, it does hurt a little, and trigger some cramping). But in these exams shouldn't they just be lightly poking you with a finger? I haven't had a cervix check yet, but I will at my 36 week appointment on Friday. I'll ask my doc what she is doing and try to report back here if no one else has answered.

sugarpeas79 · January 2015

Just to follow up - sorry, I don't have any new info on this subject. My doc was out sick for my appointment today, and the doctor I saw in her place had a cold and wanted to touch me as little as possible - so no cervix check for me, and very little chitchat. I apologize for my failed reconnaissance mission

Valo2010 · January 2015

Yep it's just a simple finger sweep. Second time felt much like a pap. I think something was wrong with me the first time. It should be slightly uncomfortable, but not painful... Good luck*

HayleyBug55 · January 2015

I think it depends on the position of your cervix. Mine is very close to the vaginal opening so it doesn't hurt at all now. When I was checked at the hospital at 28 weeks it was farther up and hurt. I even had bad cramping after.

MamaBird224 · February 2015

Just chiming in here. I had my first check last week at 36 weeks because I was experiencing a lot of pressure and bad menstrual-like cramps. It did not hurt at all but my doc immediately said he was shocked at how low baby was. So like a PP said, I think whether or not your baby has dropped may make a difference. Glad to hear your next one was not painful!

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