At one of my checkups , I begged her to do something to help spur my labor. If only they would strip my membranes to induce labor , I reasoned, I could be out of my misery and meet my baby boy sooner. Stripping the membranes is a way to induce labor.
It involves your doctor sweeping their gloved finger between the thin membranes of the amniotic sac in your uterus. This motion helps separate the sac. It stimulates prostaglandins, compounds that act like hormones and can control certain processes in the body. One of these processes is — you guessed it — labor.
In some cases, your doctor can also gently stretch or massage the cervix to help it start to soften and dilate. The best thing you can do during the procedure is simply breathe through it and try to relax. The entire procedure will be over in a few minutes.
The study concluded that membrane stripping is safe and that, in most cases, women will only need to have the procedure one time for it to work. Experts still question whether or not membrane stripping is really effective.
A review of available studies concluded that the efficacy depends on how far along in pregnancy a woman is, and whether or not she uses other induction methods. The goal is to stimulate labor and safely deliver before the pregnancy is beyond 41 weeks, and membrane stripping may occur as early as 39 weeks.
Membrane stripping might be most effective for women who are past their due dates. One study found that membrane sweeping could increase the likelihood of spontaneous labor within 48 hours.
Advice from a nurse educator This procedure does cause some discomfort and should only be done by an experienced doctor. You may experience bleeding and cramping for a few days following the procedure. But if it works, it could save you from having your labor induced with medication. Is a stretch and sweep safe? When can you get a membrane sweep? Is a stretch and sweep painful? Joseph Communications uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes.
Learn more or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use our service, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies why? You can change cookie preferences. You may have some spotting and cramping during this time. Getting a membrane sweep feels kind of like a rough cervical check. During my first sweep, with my second baby, my whole body involuntarily recoiled.
I got the sweep at an afternoon OB appointment and scheduled an induction for the following morning. By the time I showed up for the induction at 6 a. They went ahead and gave me some Pitocin anyway. My daughter was born in less than four hours. When I had my membrane swept during my third pregnancy, I started spotting immediately. This is a fairly common side effect. I put on a panty liner when I got home and experienced mild, periodic cramping throughout that afternoon.
By the time evening rolled around, actual contractions started. My husband and I headed to the hospital around that night, and our third child was born about five hours later.
Since the membrane sweep worked so well with baby number three, I requested another during my fourth pregnancy. I never even felt any cramping at all that day. This time, the sweep didn't work. I was bummed, for sure, because I was so ready to be done with that pregnancy and meet my baby.
I was also hoping to avoid induction. But alas, I showed up at the hospital for my scheduled induction a few days later. It was frustrating. Because from experience, heading into the hospital at 6 centimeters dilated with contractions two minutes apart and then giving birth three hours later without needing an induction is infinitely preferable to walking into a scheduled induction at less than 3 centimeters dilated with zero contractions and giving birth 19 hours later.
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Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Labor induction. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
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