There’s no reason to worry if your kid is only a few days late. However, if your pregnancy takes more than 42 weeks, your risk of mortality increases, although most children remain healthy. Your doctor is likely to speak to you about your labor alternatives during a 38-week antenatal visit. It includes a membrane sweep.
Know what is a membrane sweep
The removal of membranes, also called membrane sweeping, is a method that can assist pregnant females who are near or past their due date in their work. A doctor will use a gloved hand to revolve around the interior of the cervix. For most females, membrane stripping is efficient and secure.
Membrane removal at a period of 38 to 40 weeks of gestation often increases the frequency of spontaneous vaginal work, reduces the need for other inductive methods such as medication and reduces the risk of pregnancy beyond 41 weeks.
The procedure is to divide the amniotic sac from the uterine wall by the delicate fetal membranes. This separation causes the release of so-called prostaglandins, natural chemicals. Prostaglandins assist the cervix in softening and encouraging contractions and work.
How does it work?
Your midwife or doctor will conduct the procedure. Through an internal exam, he/she will attempt to enter a finger into the opening of the cervix and then move his/her finger slightly but steadily. This event should separate your child from the membranes of the amniotic sac. This separation releases hormones that can trigger your work.
The operation may also be called a stretch and sweep because your sweeping woman might attempt to stretch or massage her cervix if a sweep is not feasible. This stimulus may be sufficient to begin the cervix maturation. If your cervix then starts to relax and open, your midwife or doctor may next time she sees you, make an accurate balancing.
A membrane sweep improves the chances of starting labor within 48 hours. You are more likely to work if your cervix already smooths and prepares for labor. Rest ensured that it does not boost your or your baby’s danger of infection. If your waters have failed, but delivery has not begun, membrane sweeps are not suggested as they may boost your threat of infection.
How does membrane sweeping feel?
A membrane sweep can be painful because it is often hard to achieve the cervix before your delivery starts. Some females find it unpleasant. If you have worked in respiration methods, they can assist you to relax while your mother-in-law performs the sweep. You may soon experience slight blood spotting, cramps, or irregular contractions.
What should you anticipate from a membrane sweep?
Women usually do not have to prepare for membrane removal, which will be done by the doctor periodically. The operation is generally done in the office of a doctor. The doctor may need to boost the cervix for dilation; otherwise, membrane removal is not feasible. It is essential to inform the doctor instantly whether severe pain or bleeding takes place during or after the appointment.
Things to consider
If you are a first-time mother, a membrane sweep should be provided at your antenatal appointment at 40 weeks and 41 weeks again. Some doctors sweep every 72 hours or three days. If this isn’t your first child, at your 41-week antenatal appointment, you should be provided a membrane sweep.
If your due date has passed, a membrane sweep should be provided before other induction techniques. You can receive two or three membrane sweeps before your doctor, or sweeping female proposes different methods to induce you.
You can decline the offer if you do not want a sweep. While there is no assurance that it will begin your work, it helps some females prevent invasive work. If you do not wish to have a sweep and don’t want to induce your labor, you may prefer to seek natural methods to start working.
Are there instances where you can’t have induced labor?
Despite being commonly safe, there are some situations where you can’t have a membrane sweeping or induced labor in general. Here are some of the reasons why:
- If you had a quick delivery before.
You may be tempted to request an induction before you give birth rapidly (known as precipitate work) when you’re concerned about it. You might have childbirth before a midwife arrives at you. But for this reason, it is unlikely that you will be given an induction. There is also no proof that induction will stop your work from being quick.
- If your baby is large
If there are no different predicaments, your doctor won’t induce you, because they speculate that your baby is enormous for its gestational age. It is because it is hard to assess the weight of your unborn baby correctly.
- Restriction of intrauterine development
It is not suggested to induce your unborn child to have an intrauterine growth constraint (also called a fetal growth restriction). It is because the child is in danger of dying before or after birth.
Final words
During the last weeks of pregnancy, membrane stripping takes place, generally between 38 and 41 weeks of pregnancy. Membrane removal is a comparatively secure operation for uncomplicated pregnancies, and studies showed that the probability of spontaneous labor could increase.
Though there is no assurance that your work will begin, it helps some females not to be inducted in a more invasive manner. You might want to try some natural ways to get delivery started if you don’t want a sweep and don’t want to induce your labor.
Read also:
- Labor odd and weird signs
- Useful exercises done to induce labor
- What you should expect during labor time
