I had my 36 weeks appt today and now the exams will be coming weekly. Come to find out...they do an internal exam every week from here on out. Is that normal? Do most obgyns do that? I didn't have a single internal exam with DD (granted I was in Thailand and they do things differently there) but I really enjoyed not having that done every week! Today the doc was like, "ok I'm gonna do a quick and gentle internal exam." and my thought afterwards was like, well crap if that didn't cause me to go into labor then I don't know what will! It hurt!!
Can I just tell them I don't want that done and that I don't think it's necessary? Has anyone opted out of internal exams for these last 4 weeks?
IndieBambino
05-20-2009, 07:59 PM
you dont need any internal exams at all if you're having a normal pregnancy -- tell your doc you dont want them and you will let him know if anything changes. I have a midwife and she does none of that, and in fact encourages me to check MYSELF if I'm curious and she says she doesnt see the need for them at all, even during labor.
j_a_a_zavala
05-20-2009, 08:03 PM
My doc doesn't do it until the last 2 weeks. I was asked at 38 weeks 3 day and I declined but they did want to do one yesterday and I was 39w 4days.
mommyshannon
05-20-2009, 08:03 PM
My OB always does them, but I'm always curious and want to know. I don't think you *have* to have them done if you don't want to.
MadeInChina
05-20-2009, 08:06 PM
good to know mamas! thanks!
I'm thinking the only way I want one from here on out is if I go past my due date.
He told me today that I'm one cm dilated, but I'm still 3-4 weeks away from delivery so to hear that this early on just unnecessarily gets my hopes up for the following 4 weeks. not fun.
:)
Mommy2JJ
05-20-2009, 08:09 PM
My midwives don't do them. I did have them check me when I was 38 weeks a few days, but only because I wanted to know, they wouldn't have done it otherwise.
tiredmommyof8
05-20-2009, 08:22 PM
They are unnecessary but are often done. I politely refuse them and only reluctantly allow it when I am past my due date. I could care less how far I am dilated because I know I could walk around for weeks that way. The baby is going to come when it is ready.
Lisa-Rachelle
05-20-2009, 08:24 PM
No, it's not necessary. Provided you have a normal healthy pregnancy - tell your Doc you dont want any checks unless you go overdue ;)
redneckmama
05-20-2009, 10:27 PM
If I remember right my dr does one at 36, 38, and 40 weeks.
jackyl08
05-20-2009, 11:08 PM
I got one at 36, 37 and 38. Baby was born at 38w3d. Normally, my doc does them every other week, but my cervix was shortening earlier than they liked, so she was checking me. At my 37wk appt, she asked me if I wanted to be checked and I did, so she did. At 38, she stripped my membranes because my bp was high and she wanted to give me a chance to go into labor on my own(it worked).
kaleo40
05-21-2009, 02:54 AM
My doctor last time gave me the choice whether I wanted the internal exams or not. I was curious so I did, though this time I'm going to opt out.
Some of you are saying you can deny them unless you are over due? Why would the checks be necessary if you are over due?
MangoMommy
05-21-2009, 03:20 AM
My midwife also doesn't do them...they are a waste of time and only either get your hopes up or depress you LOL. Now if you were having what appeared to be actual labor signs then you would get checked. But she doesn't check for the heck of it.
I'm about 37w and go weekly too. DH wants me checked, just to know, but I don't want to know. So I won't get checked LOL.
elioraimmanuel
05-21-2009, 05:23 AM
They are absolutely un-neccesary! You can refuse any treatment you do not want! All those internals can lead to premature labor, pain and/or infection.
mlaowell
05-21-2009, 05:46 AM
There not necessary. If the doc does it right there shouldn't be any infection b/c they 1. wash their hands 2. wear gloves.
eljube112
05-21-2009, 05:49 AM
with my first I didn't have an internal exam until I was in active labour. my m/w asked if I wanted one at my 40 week and I declined. Baby was born at 41+1 and I went into labour all on my own!
Nanner99
05-21-2009, 06:10 AM
They really do not tell you much. I was the most dilated and effaced with #2 and he was the latest! I was 3-4 cm for weeks on end, with vag checks from 36-42 wks :yuck: He stripped my membranes 4x, to no avail. I was finally induced.
I am with a midwife this time (yay!) and she does one at 36 wks and then maybe one around 40 wks. She also does them minimally during labor.
MoreThanApplesauce
05-21-2009, 07:10 AM
They are absolutely un-neccesary! You can refuse any treatment you do not want! All those internals can lead to premature labor, pain and/or infection.
this.
Layna
05-21-2009, 07:25 AM
I had them done last time, but will be declining them this time. Last time my Dr. stripped my membranes w/o telling me what she was doing before.. As much as I like her, it really annoyed me.
I'll probably have them do one at 39 weeks if I havn't had the baby by then. My mom will be trying to come for the birth and she lives 8 hrs away, so we used that as a "guide" last time. I was 3cm at 39 weeks so she got up here :D
negrapy
05-21-2009, 07:37 AM
not necessary - not recommended and not gentle and painless!
I lucked out - I had my first out of country and the doctor kept planning on doing one but then i'd come in for the visit and he'd say how well i was doing and just push it back another week - and then the baby came at 38 weeks so i didnt have any at the prenatals - though he managed to check 3-4 times during the labor :yuck:
second baby was with a cnm at a stand alone birthcenter - they dont do them routinely without specific cause and well baby was born at 36.5 weeks anyhow - my water broke so they didnt even bother except for when i requested it once during labor to see about progression
this time i am using a cpm and they dont routinely do them either
Mamatoabunch
05-21-2009, 10:01 AM
They are absolytely not necessary. I would not do them at all. Increased risk of membranes rupture, infection, GBS distrubance if you are GBS +. They serve no purpose. You can be 4cm at 36 weeks, advised you will have baby very soon and still not deliver until 42 weeks.
Wanted to add if you are curious you can check yourself. This isn't some part of our body that only a dr. can access.
kannondicarpo
05-21-2009, 10:05 AM
With Nikolas I had quite a few due to preterm labor. I had a hospital birth with a MW.
I had NONE with Kate. Not even during labor. I had a homebirth with a MW.
tcmt81
05-21-2009, 10:07 AM
I had them done as I was curious, but they don't indicate anything. I was 1 cm dilated and with a very posterior cervix at 39 weeks 1 day, and gave birth at 39 weeks 5 days.
MadeInChina
05-21-2009, 10:57 AM
thanks mamas!
yeah I know I can technically check myself, but I don't really have a clue what I'm feeling around for and honestly wouldn't be a good judge between 1 cm or 4! I don't mind being checked during active labor, but until then I don't see the point in checking if it's just for curiosity's sake. :)
cowangel
05-21-2009, 01:12 PM
I think it depends on your situation, but I definately think you could ask NOT to have the internal exams - especially if you're not having contractions, etc. With my first 2 I had a few internal exams towards the end b/c we made a few early trips to the hospital. With this one we haven't been to the hospital once and I'm 37weeks and have yet to have an internal exam and don't think I will unless it's something I specifically ask the dr. to do to check things for me - but all of my babies have been born full term so there's not much concern this one's coming early!
trippsmom
05-21-2009, 06:04 PM
I had one at my 36 week appointment and every week there after. I was 2cm at 36 weeks so I wanted to know weekly if I needed to be expecting something. After I was still 2cm at 39 and 2 days shy of 40, I was heartbroken, I cried all the way home from the last appt. Little did I know ds had his escape planned for his due date.
viersmommy
05-22-2009, 09:33 AM
I have to have an internal done EVERY TIME, but I'm extremely high risk for preterm labor and tend to dilate way early...they check to make sure interventions aren't needed to stop/prevent labor. That said, I definitely don't enjoy it, and if I wasn't high risk would refuse them
Stackin6Blocks
05-22-2009, 09:52 AM
You should be able to tell him/her that you dont need it if you are have a healthy pregnancy. I opt not to get internal until I was 37 weeks and now since i have contractions often I get them every week.
Edensmomma
05-22-2009, 11:12 AM
You can tell them you don't want one. You can refuse anything you want. It's your body, your pregnancy. I am not having ANY internal exams with this pregnancy unless my m/w determines that it's medically necessary. There really is no valuable data to gain from internal exams when there is no medical reason for one.
peaches330
05-22-2009, 09:09 PM
Internal exams are never neccessary and you have every right to refuse them. They are not even neccessary during labor so if you don't want them make it clear. I hated internals and went into my 2nd pregnancy requesting none whatsoever.
cakeums
05-23-2009, 07:31 AM
I have had them several times, but only to make sure my contractions haven't been causing changes. They do use individually packaged sterile gloves in my OB's practice so I'm not worried about infection so much.
Mama Bear X3
05-23-2009, 11:44 AM
unnecessary for a normal low risk pregnancy.
dornmama
05-23-2009, 11:49 AM
Nope, they are not necessary!
frainfam
05-23-2009, 12:04 PM
You can definitely decline them :) I didn't have one until 39 weeks with DS2
teal
05-23-2009, 12:30 PM
I had one at 34 weeks because I was flying overseas and the doctor wanted to be absolutely sure I wasn't showing any signs of premature labour. After that, the only ones I had were when I was in labour.
4mes
05-30-2009, 02:58 PM
They are unnecessary but are often done. I politely refuse them and only reluctantly allow it when I am past my due date. I could care less how far I am dilated because I know I could walk around for weeks that way. The baby is going to come when it is ready.
ITA!
MadeInChina
05-30-2009, 05:43 PM
after all of your advice and after talking myself out of needing anymore...
I went ahead and let the doc do another one this last week! haha! :blush:
But I guess my mindset was that maybe it would just help stir things up. I didn't care about dilation or effacement or anything, just thought maybe some poking and prodding could bring this baby along! :)
cutebluebaby
05-30-2009, 08:02 PM
I don't know if it's routine or not... with DS I had the strep B test at 36 weeks, and at 37 weeks (just before I turned 38 weeks) the midwife checked to see if I was dialated and since I was she twisted the plug. He was born at 38w2d (five days later) and was already over 8lbs...
SillyEllie
05-31-2009, 10:58 AM
they did at my 36 week check up. I'm sure you can refuse it though. I *think* they may do it to see if you're dilating? I was 3 cen at 36 weeks
ClothDiaperingMama
05-31-2009, 01:25 PM
I've had some very high risk pregnancies and I definitely wasn't checked like that. The obs told me that they only needed to do that if I was having a lot of contractions. I did have them check at 36 weeks as it was close to when ds1 was born. I was actually told that they didn't like to do them {until labor or close to delivery}. I think I would just ask them 'why" they did exams for the last 4 weeks. I am sure they will let you know. Then you can decide if you want them to continue. They shouldn't have a problem with not doing one every week especially if you haven't been having contractions.
Ready2Bmommy
06-02-2009, 08:22 AM
My ob says she will do them weekly at 36 weeks, and I don't want them done until 38. We'll see what she says when I say "Nope...not taking off my clothes!"
Chey
06-03-2009, 10:25 AM
My Dr does one at 36 weeks...you get the group B swab then too, then nothing until labour begins. I've never heard of having them weekly. I don't think I would like that too much.
AndrewsMom
06-03-2009, 12:01 PM
My doctor asks before she does anything. Which is nice. :) They will do the internal but she'll ask and if I say no....she doesn't push it.
I've been wanting her to do them though. At my last appointment I was 5 cm and 90% effaced so I have been wanting her to check and so I can gauge when to head to the hospital.
