The benefits of a membrane sweep are that it's more likely to cause you to go into labor naturally and avoid a medical or planned induction. A medical or planned induction involves getting medication to start labor.
The benefit of a membrane sweep is that it reduces the chance that you will need to have your labour induced. This is because it releases a hormone called prostaglandin, which is involved in starting labour. If the membrane sweep is successful you will usually go into labour within 48 hours.
If your pregnancy is low risk, a stretch and sweep is a safe procedure. It makes you more likely to go into labour naturally in the next 2 days. This reduces the chance of your baby being born overdue. It also reduces the chance of your labour needing to be induced.
Having a membrane sweep does not hurt, but expect some discomfort or slight bleeding afterwards. If labour does not start after a membrane sweep, you'll be offered induction of labour. Induction is always carried out in a hospital maternity unit.
This is a vaginal examination where your midwife or doctor uses a finger to 'sweep' your cervix. This can be uncomfortable, and you might bleed a little, but it's more likely you'll go into labour naturally. Having a membrane sweep usually means you're less likely to need other methods of induction.
Contractions help push your baby out of your uterus. Your provider may recommend inducing labor if your health or your baby's health is at risk or if you're 2 weeks or more past your due date. For some women, inducing labor is the best way to keep mom and baby healthy. Inducing labor should be for medical reasons only.
Almost all women will have their baby within a week of having a membrane sweep performed. With the membrane sweep success rate being 24%, doctors may repeat the procedure in 36 hours if the woman hasn't gone into labor after the first time having the procedure done.
A sweep can't always be performed. Unless you are at least 1 cm dilated, it can't be done. After a sweep you will most likely lose some or all of your mucous plug. It can also cause bleeding and irregular contractions that do not progress into labour.
Induced labour is usually more painful than natural labour. Depending on the type of induction you are having, this could range from discomfort with the procedure or more intense and longer lasting contractions as a result of the medication you have been given.
People have reported experiencing pain or discomfort with the procedure. You may also experience bleeding after the procedure. Membrane sweeping, but not cervical massage, may increase the risk of your water breaking before labor.
“The risks and downsides of a stretch and sweep include discomfort, light bleeding and irregular contractions, which may interfere with a woman's ability to rest and sleep in the last few days of pregnancy. In some studies, the stretch and sweep intervention only brought the onset of labour forward by about 24 hours.
Induction Massage - This is one of the least invasive methods of stimulating labor and yet one of the most effective things you can do! Many women will find that their labor starts within 24-48 hours of an induction massage when they get the massage at 40 weeks or later.
Labor induction increases the risk that the uterine muscles won't properly contract after giving birth (uterine atony). This can lead to serious bleeding after delivery. Occasionally blood products are needed for serious bleeding.
Inducing labor, artificially starting labor with medical interventions rather than waiting for labor to naturally occur, is generally recommended only in cases when a delivery has failed to progress or if a complication develops.
Some people report an induced labour to be more painful, and the hospital stay during and after birth may be longer. It is also associated with a more negative birth experience (Adler et al, 2020; NICE, 2021a).
However, the proportion of cesarean delivery was significantly lower for the induced group (18.6 percent), compared to the other group (22.2 percent).
According to a survey conducted by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, around 50% of birthing parents between 18 and 39 said that contractions were the most painful part of labor and delivery. But 1 in 5 had a different take and said that pushing and post-delivery were the most painful.
Studies have shown that membrane sweeps are likely to kickstart labor before 42 weeks and can help avoid a medical induction. Membrane sweeps may be more effective if: You have a "favorable cervix." This means your cervix has softened, thinned and dilated.
The procedure may cause some slight discomfort, slight bleeding or a 'show' and/or tightening of the womb. All of these are normal, and will not cause any harm to you or your baby. It will not increase the chance of your baby getting an infection. Membrane sweeping is not recommended if your waters have broken.
A membrane sweep is usually offered after you have reached your estimated due date as it is more likely to be successful at this point and is often more difficult to perform earlier than this. Sometimes a obstetrician may recommend a membrane sweep earlier in pregnancy (around 39 weeks).
Stretch and sweep is used to help start labour and reduce the need for an induction. If it works, you can expect to go into labour within 48 hours. If it does not work, it can be repeated two or three times over the next few days.
Remember, the more favorable your cervix, the more likely membrane sweeps are to work. Using a firm circular or sweeping motion, your midwife or doctor will sweep and separate the membrane of the amniotic sac from the cervix. Some providers also stretch the cervix to increase the chances of the membrane sweep working.
How effective is a Stretch and Sweep? Statistically, there is around a 24% success rate of the procedure being effective with labour tending to start within the next 48 hours. Most women will deliver their baby within one week of having a stretch and sweep done.