👉 MEMBRANE SWEEPING 👈 - when you are SO DONE with 3rd trimester and your care provider offers you a membrane sweep, it seems like a no-brainer.
A sweep (sometimes called a strip) is when your care provider inserts a gloved finger into your vagina, up into your cervix, and does a quick "sweep" around the surface to try and seperate your baby's amniotic sac membrane from the cervix.
☑️ BENEFITS ☑️
👆 If done at 41 weeks, it can cut your likelihood of going past 42 weeks almost in half (from 41% down to 23%)
👆 On average, it can reduce the length of your pregnancy one to four days, and a meta-analysis of 22 trials concluded that sweeps increase the likelihood of delivery within 7 days from the date of sweep.
👆 Sweeps can slightly reduce your likelihood of needing a formal medical induction.
❌ DISADVANTAGES ❌
👇 You cannot have a membrane sweep done unless your cervix is at least 1cm dilated.
👇 Approximately 70% of people report that the experience is "significantly painful".
👇 It can cause minor bleeding and uterine irritation, leading to irregular contractions which may cause some people to be unable to sleep or rest. These contractions sometimes settle after few days without leading to the immediate onset of labour.
👇 There is about a 9% chance of your water accidentally being broken by your provider during the procedure. Membranes rupturing prematurely before the onset of labour can result in the need for additional interventions such as a formal medical induction.
👇 Sweeps are sometimes performed without consent during a vaginal exam, but it is a seperate intervention and carries risks, so informed consent should always be obtained first.
This procedure should only be done by a qualified obstetrical care provider such as a midwife or physician and should not be offered before 38-41 weeks.
BOTTOM LINE: Membrane sweeps have benefits and risks and are not "right" or "wrong". Whether or not it is the right tool at the right time will be dependant on each individual client and their circumstances/preferences.
Did you give consent to have your membranes swept? How was your experience?
RESOURCES:
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/updated-evidence-on-the-pros-and-cons-of-membrane-sweeping/
https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/what-is-a-stretch-and-sweep/