Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Midwife did a sweep last night without asking

352 replies

Katnisnevergreen · 17/12/2018 09:10

Hi all, I’m just after some advice. I went to the maternity unit last night with bad contractions (am 39 weeks) which had been building over the past few days to every 3.5 mins.
When the midwife was checking to see how dilated I was, it was really painful, like trying to get away painful, and I could really feel her moving around.
When she finished she said ‘I’ve done you a sweep too...’
is this out of order as I didn’t ask or want one?

OP posts:
skybluee · 17/12/2018 15:25

Some of the replies on this thread are sickening. It's incredibly sad that people don't understand very basic concepts of consent and the law.

Thankfully there are some brilliant posts and I'm relieved to see midwives on the first page saying it absolutely wasn't OK.

EleanorLavish · 17/12/2018 17:33

OP, when i was being induced (3rd time) with my third child I was happy to have pessaries but no other interventions. I did not want sweeps, stretching, drips etc. I'd had some before and did not enjoy them and they made me so uncomfortable and made no difference to hurrying things along.
A doctor came to examine me as after 3 pessaries no change and cervix still 1cm. He did a stretch and sweep, but said he was just going to examine me. I was so cross. I told him I hadn't consented and he shrugged and said what did you come in for then?!
6 years later, I swear I can't let it go, still makes me so mad.
I actually discharged myself and went in to labour naturally that night and delivered normally, had enough on and never followed it up. But by golly I wish I had. Git.
You call the shots, not them.

tynext · 17/12/2018 17:53

Also re vaginal exams- absolutely not a necessity.
My midwife during my second labour was actually keen for me to labour and birth without any VEs at all.

It’s sad that so many women seem to falsely think pregnancy and birth means they have to wave goodbye to all bodily autonomy and basic human rights. Is it any wonder that tokophobia rates are so high.

MaraScottie · 17/12/2018 17:58

Sorry to hear that OP. I'd be livid too.

Midwife was 100% in the wrong. Definitely report.

SoyDora · 17/12/2018 18:10

I didn’t have any VE’s at all in my second labour. It was great. The midwives trusted me to know when I needed to push.

Palegreenstars · 17/12/2018 18:11

Jesus. You don’t have to be medically trained to know what she did was wrong. Hopefully just human. I’m flabbergasted at some of these responses.

ShovingLeopard · 17/12/2018 18:13

Please, please complain OP. Your legal right to autonomy was violated, and the midwife needs retraining (at the very least) to ensure she doesn't do the same to another woman.

Those on this thread who are arguing in favour of the midwife; that she was only doing what she thought was best; OP should suck it up, etc: a) you are actually completely wrong from a legal perspective, as HCPs are obliged to respect patient autonomy and must gain consent for procedures; and b) you should do some work on your own boundaries, as they are likely to be way too porous.

Ollivander84 · 17/12/2018 18:14

I've not even had children - but surely you would say "you're about a cm dilated, I can do a sweep if you'd like?"
Few seconds to ask that and there you go

I have to ask permission to attach a night bag to someone's catheter and I don't even touch them to do that!

DuggeeHugs · 17/12/2018 18:42

This happened to me - the male doctor didn't ask consent and refused to stop even when I was crying and repeatedly saying no.

It is NEVER ok for someone to perform a procedure without your consent. That anyone would disagree with this is astonishing.

FestiveNut · 17/12/2018 18:46

That's horrid @duggeehugs. Did you complain? What happened?

DuggeeHugs · 17/12/2018 18:53

@FestiveNut I didn't complain because I just didn't have the capacity at the time. I was massively sleep deprived and 91 hours into a failed induction. I sobbed for two hours in the car park and the midwife who witnessed our said she didn't stop him because "it would've been worse if he'd had to stop and start again".

13 months later I reluctantly went to my smear test. The nurse told me that if I said no at any point she would stop. I cried. When I was finally able to tell her what happened she told me in no uncertain terms that I'd been assaulted and that what had happened was wrong.

I didn't want to revisit it then and so didn't complain, although now I wish I had

jgjgjgjgjg · 17/12/2018 18:55

You need to make a formal complaint via PALS.

Susiesoop · 17/12/2018 19:00

YANBU...in fact I'm surprised she could do this procedurally...I was booked in for a sweep when overdue...I begged my lovely midwife to give me one a bit earlier (had to be term plus x) and she wouldn't. Is it on your notes etc correctly? They're so painful you definitely would want the right to refuse!

TeaPot496 · 17/12/2018 19:04

Good point - how did she document it? It's meant to be written as "stretch and sweep performed with consent" or some such...

SoyDora · 17/12/2018 19:05

Susiesoop different trusts have different policies on when they’ll offer a sweep. Plus it’s slightly different as OP was already having contractions.

bonzo77 · 17/12/2018 19:07

Absolute disgrace. A midwife did this to me when inserting a pessary for induction. It was the first in a long line of really painful, unnecessary experiences that cumulated in the emergency section that I should have had 72 hours earlier. I wish I’d complained. It was nearly 9 years ago and I’m still cross.

OnceInABlueMoon9 · 17/12/2018 19:08

Definitely out of order. I would actually say something once you’ve given birth and feeling ok. Only because she needs to be stopped doing this to other women without their consent. I didn’t consent to a sweep with either of my dc even when I was in early labour and they checked me. I think the less intervention the better unless it’s necessary. I hope you are ok op and you have a smooth delivery Flowers

jellypi3 · 17/12/2018 19:34

I hope your labour is progressing now OP.

I'll just echo what most of the sensible posters here have said. This was not right at all. It seems the MW did not gain true consent for the VE in the first place if she didn't explain the risks of bleeding, let alone for the sweep!

I'm a STMW currently, and wouldn't dare even lay my hands on a woman to palpate without her explicit consent. A VE is a personal and intimate examination and a sweep is very different to a standard VE to asses dilation. You could maybe argue that if the MW was trying to stretch the cervix then she may have rubbed her finger around the external os and kicked up some of the prostaglandins BUT she should have explained this situation to you and gained your consent to do so.

I'm so so sorry you have suffered this OP, and like I say I hope you are close to meeting your baby but please do escalate this. This MW will never change her practice until somebody challenges it! I'd like to hope she did it totally innocently and it's just "something" she's seen doneand hasn't thought about the result of her actions but this is a very serious event and it has to be challenged.

Platypusfattypus · 17/12/2018 19:48

I’m a midwife and wouldn’t dream of doing a sweep without consent. It’s an intervention which carries some risks. I’m sorry this happened to you.

CantChoose · 17/12/2018 20:46

@Teacupsandtoast I assume that was aimed at me? If you re-read my post I don't say anything about asking for consent while inside anyone's vagina Hmm
I meant 'here' as in present with you, not 'here' as in inside your vagina. Apologies if you felt it was ambiguous...

TheLette · 17/12/2018 21:23

This happened to me too. I complained in my post-birth review meeting. This shouldn't happen. Also (and apologies if this has been said) I recommend not allowing student / trainee midwives to do internal exams as then a fully trained midwife has to do a second one to check. I had excellent care from trainee midwives and had no issues whatsoever with them, but I did not need 2 internal exams when 1 is sufficient. I know they have to learn somehow but if you find them v uncomfortable you have to put yourself first.

ChanklyBore · 17/12/2018 21:47

That isn’t OK, OP. I am sorry it happened to you, especially being worried about VEs/internal examination.

I also was very worried about VEs/internal examination and I managed to have two babies without needing to have one. So I am adding my voice to those raising up to saying a VE/internal examination is not a necessity in labour.

Zintox · 17/12/2018 22:14

I'm another who declined VEs and it was fine. You don't have to have them.

And do complain. You can go to Pals or the director of midwifery, or a consultant midwife or the matron if they have one. It's unacceptable to assault women like this.

AnoukSpirit · 17/12/2018 22:31

Criminal assault.

Civil trespass against the person.

Couldn't be simpler. If you do anything to a patient without freely given, informed, capacitous consent then that is the legal position.

I'm so sorry this midwife assaulted you, op.

moita · 17/12/2018 22:59

Some of these stories make me feel ill. I am so sorry for those who have been violated. During my last labour the midwives always asked before they did something - I was begging for any intervention because I just wanted the baby out! It should always be explained what's going on.