Cervical Exam every week now? After 36?

mrsdobbie · September 2015

So I just hit 36 weeks and had my Group B strep test and my first cervical exam. The cervical exam was a bit painful even though my doctor has very thin fingers! I expected her to use the speculum but she didn't. Is that normal? Now I am very nervous for next week when my regular female doctor(the only doctor I have ever had my whole life. She delivered me and has been my family doctor ever since) is on holidays and I have an appointment with a male doctor. I hope his fingers aren't too big if we do start getting cervical exams every week now! :P

Raijapatterson · September 2015

Don't worry. He's just prepping you to push a baby out! Lol

Kbhunter · September 2015

You don't have to have a routine cervical check, just politely decline.

leah665 · September 2015

Yeah I'm going to decline any cervical exams except for when in actual labor. I don't see the point.

amberrmariee20 · September 2015

I never had any cervical exams with my first son until my water broke and I was in labor....

mollypuss1 · September 2015

They don't do cervical exams here until you are in labour either. I really don't see the point of them beforehand, they tell you how dilated you are which actually means nothing at all as you can still go weeks after you are Xcm dilated.

amiejl · September 2015

My midwife offered, but I declined, and she thought that was wise. They're uncomfortable and could possibly introduce bacteria and not all that helpful particularly when you're not in labor. You can always decline if you are not comfortable with it.

mgdunn · September 2015

My doctor begins them at 36 weeks and every week after as well. They never bothered me though. I actually was at 3 cm at 37 weeks with DD. (She still came on her due date so it didn't make much difference) but I thought it was interesting to find out! As PP's have said, I would just decline if you don't want them done.

jamieknowlton8 · September 2015

I had my first one at my 36 wk appt also. I didnt expect it to be that uncomfortable! I about flew back off the exam table

cmjn94 · September 2015

jamieknowlton8 said:
I had my first one at my 36 wk appt also. I didnt expect it to be that uncomfortable! I about flew back off the exam table

Seriously. I had an exam last week and I cried it hurt so badly. And then I cried later because I couldn't handle the thought of having more than one done!

mrsdobbie · September 2015

Thanks ladies! I hope he just gives the option and doesn't just do it. It is probably immature to be weirded out by it but I have never had a male doctor. I don't think I have ever had any other doctor look at my vag except my family doctor. I'm sure after this labour it will be no problem and I won't care who sees it anymore. Just gotta suck it up I guess!

babybumb1229 · September 2015

I went to my 37 week appointment and she was going to check I declined and she said that's totally fine she doesn't have to check until I'm over due:)

leah665 · September 2015

mrsdobbie said:
Thanks ladies! I hope he just gives the option and doesn't just do it. It is probably immature to be weirded out by it but I have never had a male doctor. I don't think I have ever had any other doctor look at my vag except my family doctor. I'm sure after this labour it will be no problem and I won't care who sees it anymore. Just gotta suck it up I guess!

Just remember as a patient you always have the right to refuse a procedure.

RositaRae · September 2015

My 36 week one hurt like crazy, but 37 was better. Different doctor perhaps or the fact I was a lot more effaced than before?? They give me the option to decline at my clinic, but I like to know if I've made any progress.

And I was weirded out at first by having a male obgyn down there, but they've seen it all.

MamaBear345 · September 2015

My doctor gave me the option at 36 weeks but said she is going to check at 37 weeks no matter what because she's had women who had no clue they were efaced so much and ready for labor until she checked. However I just want to get used to the pain because Ik it's going to happen in the hospital no matter what so preparation is good!:)

MissChris627 · September 2015

It's a little painful in the moment, but I really appreciated knowing each week how dilated and effaced I was.

BabyOIsComing · September 2015

I had the first one at 36 weeks. No pain, but there was bleeding afterwards for a day or two.

nimmunogirl · September 2015

I was checked and it wasn't painful at all and I had no bleeding. It was just a little uncomfortable.

dchiapella · September 2015

mrsdobbie said:

Thanks ladies! I hope he just gives the option and doesn't just do it. It is probably immature to be weirded out by it but I have never had a male doctor. I don't think I have ever had any other doctor look at my vag except my family doctor. I'm sure after this labour it will be no problem and I won't care who sees it anymore. Just gotta suck it up I guess!

There is NO shame in feeling uncomfortable with the situation. I am too. I double check each appointment the day before to make sure it's still with a female doctor. If I go into labor and it's a male on-call doctor... I think that's the last thing I'll care about. But right now when I'm not in excruciating pain and thinking all to clearly... I feel uncomfortable with it. As other people have mentioned the exams can be painful... I can only imagine them much more so if you're not okay with the situation. Follow your gut. You chose the OB, you or your insurance is paying for their services, you have rights and it's not an uncommon request for them to hear.

rizzlig · September 2015

Jumping in here with a question about the Group B Strep test. I will be seeing my Dr./midwife group for a regular appointment Thursday then my next appointment will be a 36 week apppointment. with a cervical exam. I can ask about this but I am curious now....does anybody know if there is a way to do the Group B Step test without a full cervical exam or no? Is it like getting a pap smear...or do they just swab your vagina area? I feel stupid that I don't know.

EVOXCHIC · September 2015

@rizzlig the group b strep test is basically just a swab of your outer vagina and outside of rectum, nothing like a pap smear thank god. Literally takes 2 seconds. Try not to stress like I did!!!

rizzlig · September 2015

@EVOXCHIC thanks! That is very helpful info.

mrsdobbie · September 2015

My doctor didn't even do a swab of the rectum. She told me "in 30 years I have never had to deliver a baby analy" so she doesn't swab there. Not sure if any other doctors feel the same way as her tho. I was surprised she didn't do it.

BethanyFaber · September 2015

I just had the same exam and test. It's just a quick swob. I was so worried about getting checked for dilation because everyone told me it's painful. Something funny actually happened though so i was laughing and it didn't bother me at all! So, ask your OB to tell you a joke or make you laugh before he or she sticks their fingers up there and it will be easy peasy!

MamaBear345 · September 2015

rizzlig said:
Jumping in here with a question about the Group B Strep test. I will be seeing my Dr./midwife group for a regular appointment Thursday then my next appointment will be a 36 week apppointment. with a cervical exam. I can ask about this but I am curious now....does anybody know if there is a way to do the Group B Step test without a full cervical exam or no? Is it like getting a pap smear...or do they just swab your vagina area? I feel stupid that I don't know.

I did mine without a full cervical exam. It didn't feel intrusive at all. She just swabbed from my rectal area go my vaginal area as fast as maybe 3 or 4 seconds of that.:) don't feel stupid.

RainNFyre · September 2015

I declined my cervical check and my ob was totally fine with that. No need for them - dilation is not predictive of labor. Some women like having the info and that's totally fine.

jenn2132 · September 2015

My OB does them weekly beginning at 36 weeks. The OB I have now is super gentle so it's not too bad but with my first pregnancy my OB hurt me every time and even made me bleed! I was definitely not expecting it to be so rough as a FTM, now as a STM I braced myself for pain but luckily this OB is much gentlier

Want a personalized experience?

Cervical Exam every week now? After 36?

Re: Cervical Exam every week now? After 36?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards