In many cases of pregnancies physicians suggest to induce the labor artificially. Inducing labor artificially is now becoming more common than waiting for conventional pain. In United Kingdom every one out of five females are induced with artificial pain for delivery. Membrane sweeping is a technique that is usually performed by physicians and midwife in which the membrane present between the cervix of female and the amniotic sac is separated. Many women have membrane sweep at 39 weeks or beyond if the labor isn’t coming naturally, or if you have other health condition, you may have your membrane stripped earlier than 39 weeks. This separation of membrane can potentiate the release of prostaglandins which induces the labor for childbirth.
Membrane Sweep at 39 Weeks
Why Do You Need It?
Inducing labor can be done for various reasons such as if the female is suffering from a chronic condition such as hypertension or diabetes, or virtually any other condition which can cause direct harm to the baby or serious damage to baby’s health. Failure in increase of fetal body weight is also considered as a factor for which labor can be induced.
How Does It Feel?
The experiences of what a women feel after membrane sweeping is hard to tell, this is because not every female experiences the same feelings. However some of the common complaints that are observed in most cases of membrane sweeping are irregular minor uterine contractions and light spotting. Most of the females opt to talk to their midwife for better understanding of membrane sweeping, and how does it feel after membrane sweeping.
Membrane Sweep at 39 Weeks: How Well Does It Work?
After membrane sweep there is no guarantee that the labor will be induced as this depends on your body,namely whether the female is ready to give birth or not. When examining the cervix, a midwifewill locate its position, if the cervix is soft and started to efface, then membrane sweeping and induction of labor is easier. On the other hand, if the cervix is still sitting high, the midwife will ask the expecting mother to wait a little more before labor induction or cervical sweep.
Incase no labor pain appears after membrane sweep; methods of artificial labor induction will be done at the hospital or in an appropriate maternity unit.
What Others Say About Membrane Sweep at 39 Weeks
It will work for most of the cases, but for some, the baby is just not ready yet:
“I have a very good experience with this membrane sweep; my labor started within 24 hours of sweep. I started regular contractions for three hours due to which I went to the hospital but then the contractions stopped so the midwife has given me another sweep and asked me to go home, when I was walking to my car my cervix started to dilate and it went from 3 cm to fully dilated cervix, just then the water broke and my baby arrived. Things went pretty smooth for me.”
“Somebody asked me how long did I entered in labor after membrane sweep at 39 weeks. My midwife has done the sweep the morning, after having the lunch I went to a walk; all was going well then the next morning at 2 am my water broke, which is in less than 24 hours of sweep. I would recommend it if you feel you and your baby is ready; it will not come out as a good choice if the baby isn’t ready.”
“I had mine stripped when I was at 39 weeks, the sweep was done on Monday morning and the midwife told me that I could go into labor within 2 to 3 days. I felt slight pain, body ache and spotting after getting stripped. After 2 days on Wednesday morning irregular contractions were started which were once every 10-15 minute apart but by the afternoon they were about after 6-8 minutes apart. After these contractions I went to the hospital with my cervix dilated at 4cm, the contractions were irregular so as per the recommendations of my doctor; I walked for 40-45 minutes and the cervix becomes fully dilated, my baby boy was then born after pushing for 13 minutes.”
“I had this sweep done with my second child when I was at 39 week, I was already 2cm dilated and the midwife stripped at 10am morning and the contractions started at 7 pm evening, my girl was born the very next morning. This membrane sweeping works very effectively for me, now I am pregnant with my third child, at 38 weeks and already 2cm. I hope this works for me this time too.”
“I was having severe contractions, with excessive pelvic pressure. Before these contractions I was on a yoga ball which I opted by myself, after contractions I went to the hospital where my doctor performed membrane sweep. I felt so uncomfortable and painful after the sweep. The time I had my sweep I was 1cm so the doctor asked me to wait but nothing happened to my cervix. She told me that this sweep would possibly not put me in labor so I have to make a visit and try this again next week.”
The video shows the experience of one mom having membrane sweep at 39 weeks:
