Membrane stripping - is it worth it?

[mama2cuties]

I was 39 weeks yesterday & my doc offered to strip my membranes at today's appt. Apparently he's the only doc in the practice (of 5) that does it - is it more of a midwife thing? Or is it just not very effective so nobody does it? Is it worth a shot or is it very painful? Are there any risks?

This is my second...first was born 10 days late. I've been 1cm and 70% thinned out for the last 3 weeks. With my DS I was approx the same thing until the day I went into labor, so I'm not really expecting to hear anything different at todays appt.

Let me know if you've had a good or bad experience with it!

Thanks,
Katie

[Mommy2LivandNoah]

It made me go into labor 2 days later...it wasn't so much painful, but strange feeling..haha...I don't know how to describe it..I'm glad I did it..I was 39 week and 2 days when done..and had my son 2 days later.

[Ruthe]

The risks would be that your water could accidentally get broken, and your doctor would want you to deliver within 24 hours so you might wind up with a medical induction when you aren't even in labor yet; or that bacteria could be pushed up into your cervix during the membrane sweping. It will only work if you were going to go into labor soon anyway. If there's a reason you MUST deliver soon (and will be medically inducing within a few days if it doesn't do anything)then it is probably worth a try but otherwise, not worth it.

[mommyto5girls]

When you say "is it worth it" do you mean "will I go into labor?" I have found that women who are thinned out pretty well have good results as far as putting them into labor or at least getting them closer to 10!

If you are asking if it is worth the pain...that will depend on your tolerance level. I was stripped in my 38th week in my last pregnancy and didn't even flinch but I don't think that is the norm. My doctor commented on how easily I took the stripping.

I always wanted to do it when it was offered b/c I was always ready to have my baby when it was offered. I don't really think there is any real medical harm to it when you are this far along. If it causes your water to break...well your water was obviously bulging and chances are you are ready anyways.

HTH

Erin

[mommyto5girls]

Oh and just as a rule of thumb...

First babies come slow
Second babies come FAST
and third babies are unpredictable

I wonder why there's no info on fourth of fifth babies! Maybe because they fly out!

HA! Good Luck either way!

Erin

[mama2cuties]

I'm not too worried about the pain - I think I have a pretty high tollerance. I just REALLY don't want to be induced. I was scheduled to be with the DS and ended up going into labor that morning.

I guess I'm weighing the risk of my water breaking and them having to induce versus the chance that I might go into labor or at least progress a little farther toward that goal. I just wasn't sure how effective this procedure was or if it was akin to eating spicy food (an act of desperation) .

Oh yea, and I'm definately ready to have this baby! Not that I'm complaining about being pregnant =)

[mondoowolfe]

I actually have a 100% (I'm serious!) success rate at inducing labor within 48 hours of membrane stripping in my patients. BUT, I have really specific criteria for those I'll try because of the risks mentioned above. . .

1. Group B Strep NEGATIVE (I was GBS positive and had my membranes stripped and I got septic! Definitely a bad idea. . . )
2. Thinned out at least 70%
3. In my opinion, it works best on cervixes that are dilated at least 3 cm. I just don't think you can get your finger in there enough to do a really good job if they are dilated less.

Good Luck!

[pernillep]

At only 1 cm dialated I would say it is not worth it. I had it done twice at 1cm and it did nothing. I agree with PP that is is much more effective if you are more dialated since the practitioner needs room to go a decent job.
My midwife even told me it probably wouldn't make much of a difference for me but I was impatient and ready to try about anything
I think what finally did it was accupunture - I had ds at 41 weeks 2 days and was scheduled for induction at 41 weeks 5 days

[mama2cuties]

Originally Posted by mondoowolfe I actually have a 100% (I'm serious!) success rate at inducing labor within 48 hours of membrane stripping in my patients. BUT, I have really specific criteria for those I'll try because of the risks mentioned above. . . 1. Group B Strep NEGATIVE (I was GBS positive and had my membranes stripped and I got septic! Definitely a bad idea. . . ) 2. Thinned out at least 70% 3. In my opinion, it works best on cervixes that are dilated at least 3 cm. I just don't think you can get your finger in there enough to do a really good job if they are dilated less. Good Luck!

Now you're getting me all excited! Hopefully I've progressed a little bit in the last week. I do see what everyone means about the 1cm thing - what's the point if he can't do it right.

And I totally forgot about the acupunture option - if I got closer to that 10 days late (at which point the drs office orders the induction) I could make an appt with my parents acupunturist (sp?). They go every week...I wish I had the $ for that!! It sounds so relaxing.

[rowynne]

I had it done at my 39wk appt with dd#2, it hurt like HELL afterward, I could barely stand up straight or walk around. Got it done AGAIN at my 40wk appt (1 was 2-3cm dilated)....same thing.... scheduled an induction for 40w6d. LUCKILY, I went into labor that morning before going to the hospital & was 3-4cm when I got there. But it didnt really "do" anything for me.