

Your GP/midwife will then gently sweep their fingers back and forth to separate the membranes from the uterine wall. Things get uncomfortable when the doctor has to reach for the internal orifice of the uterus where the bag of water is attached to the uterine wall. There’s the external orifice, which is where your doctor will insert the finger.

The cervix is the entrance point to the uterus.

In layman’s terms, do you know how your doctor usually performs weekly cervix checks toward the end of your pregnancy to check effacement and dilation? A membrane sweep is similar to that.Ĭonsider the female anatomy poster in your GP/midwife’s office. This action increases the endogenous production of oxytocin, prostaglandins, and phospholipase A, all of which help soften and dilate the cervix. Membrane stripping is a mechanical method of inducing labor used between 38 and 40 weeks gestation to prevent post-term pregnancies (after 41 weeks gestation).Ī GP/midwife will insert a finger into the cervix and sweep between the amniotic sac membranes to separate the sac. Membrane stripping (also known as membrane sweep) isn’t exactly a spa day. Membrane stripping is a fairly common procedure, but is it as effective as it seems? To find out, continue reading this blog.
MEMBRANE SWEEP AT 38 WEEKS AN TWO DAYS FULL
This is where the option of a membrane sweep may be presented for the first time.Ī membrane sweep may sound gross and scary, but if you’re nearing (or past) full term and ready to evict your little angel by any means necessary, it might not be the worst idea for inducing labor. At your 40-week appointment, your GP/midwife may suggest that you consider induction because your baby is simply too comfortable in your womb. Some women, however, will remain pregnant for weeks after they reach that point. Most women will experience it around 37 weeks or whenever moving becomes difficult. There will come a time when you are completely over being pregnant. While being pregnant has its perks (such as being able to eat as much ice cream as you want).
