What are the benefits?

justkeeptrying · May 2015

Just curious if anyone has any insight on the benefits of being checked for dialation at weekly appointments?

I am 40 weeks today and so far my doctor has not checked me. She said she will likely want to at tomorrow's appointment.

From what I have read I have yet to find a benefit. I find most people are either discouraged at lack of change, or hear they are 3cm, think that means something and then are disappointed when baby doesn't come soon.

I will obviously discuss this with my doctor tomorrow but does anyone have any insight as to why this is beneficial? I just don't want the emotional stress without their being any benefit to me or baby. Plus I've heard there is greater risk for infection for baby or accidentally having water break.

cpage2211 · May 2015

I think this is a common thing in the States. People from other countries have commented on how it's out of practice to even be checked since it basically means nothing. I don't actually see a benefit. I think that at this point in everyone's pregnancy, they just want some sign that something is happening and labor will actually happen. I know that's how I was those last few weeks. I thought I would be pregnant foreverrrrr.

icajesica82 · May 2015

I don't think there are benefits. With DD I saw a doctor rand they did checks every week. Now I see a midwife and they don't do checks. They did at my 40 week because I asked.

MrsS728 · May 2015

I was checked at 38 weeks (3cm) and then checked at 40+1 (5cm and the doctor couldn't figure out how I had gotten that far and I wasn't in labor) and was induced the next morning because my dr was afraid that I was so far along in dilation that I wouldn't have enough time for my antibiotics (GBS positive). She was right. I was only in labor for 1 hour from water break to delivery.

kateandsiah · May 2015

I was also told they will do an internal check at the next appointment, which will actually be 2 days before 40 weeks. And my doctor said it was because that is when we will schedule my induction date for 41 weeks. They need to know where I am when they schedule it. She did ask me today if I wanted one at 38 weeks, I wasn't expecting that and declined. I'm pretty sure the checks will just tell you the status, and lots of people rely on it to tell them the timing of when baby will arrive, but it doesn't tell that.

Knottie54288128 · May 2015

With DS I didn't dilate at all until I was given an epidural. I was told he would be late because of the checks, he was 5 days early.

justkeeptrying · May 2015

Thanks everyone for your responses. I am feeling more confident in refusing to be checked tomorrow. I don't see how this will help me at all...

justkeeptrying · May 2015

Has anyone else refused?

TBsquared · May 2015

I refused at my 39 week apt but I will be getting checked at my 40 week apt because I want my membranes swept!

LadyBlood · May 2015

At this point in your pregnancy it's beneficial to your midwife/ob not so much for you. Knowing at the 40 week mark allows them to know if youre at least making progress so they know if they need to start discussing induction and csection with you. This is the reasoning from my midwife at least. I'm almost 42 weeks and have only had 2 cervical checks. One was mostly to do a sweep to try to move things along to avoid an induction.... didn't work for me though.

brookew86 · May 2015

Last Friday my OB asked me if I wanted to be checked. I refused. I didn't want to know because I just "knew" there wasn't much progress. I might even refuse this Friday, too. The day before my due date I will have another appointment, so I will likely get checked then just to see if any progress is being made.

My last OB was...terrible. He never asked, he'd just do. It was disheartening when at 40 weeks I was 1 cm dilated. I ended up getting induced the day after, and I'm hoping to avoid induction this time.

justkeeptrying · May 2015

I asked my doctor this morning what the benefit was to being checked. She said there isn't one. Other than requiring it prior to scheduling an induction which they wouldn't be doing until the 26th. So she was fine with me not being checked until the 25th

just updating you all. I was happy I asked her.

kremerj1 · May 2015

Iv been checked twice and I'll be 39w tomorrow. The first time, nothing and the second I was 80% thinned out and that was Tuesday. Being a control freak and very type 8, I feel better about knowing what's happening. The past few days I've had a lot of different symptoms I haven't had so atleast I kind of know what's going on. Everybody is different.

sschwege · May 2015

My MWs don't do checks routinely, so I haven't had it done with my first two. I asked why they don't do it routinely and my MW said, "All I care about is if you are fully dilated and I highly doubt you would be walking around that way!" Works for me. I am considering requesting to be checked this time only because I had a 'precipitous birth' with my second. Ten minutes after arriving in triage my MW went to check me and both MW and DH could visibly see the head! We are now further from the hospital than we were last time. So it might be helpful to know how dilated I am before labor starts because I will have a better sense of how quickly we need to get there. We'll see what my MWs think though.

sunnyday016 · May 2015

The checks mean even less if you are not a FTM. Many 2+ time moms have little progress until they are actually in labor.

bean8213 · May 2015

The check was helpful for me. I'm about 45 minutes from my hospital and already dilated quite a bit. It changed my doctor's recommendation of when I should come to the hospital - it was a good thing to know so that I don't end up giving birth on the side of the highway.

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