Membrane sweep - what are the possible disadvantages?

[Stefka]

The next time I see my midwife she will offer me a membrane sweep. I don't know much about it and wondered what the disadvantages of it could be.

Do you mean the possible 'side-effects' of one?

Can think that the only disadvantage to having one is that it might not work

And it's a bit uncomfortable

It's a bit painful but obviously nothing compared to labour! Worked once with me and once didnt, so if you over by 4 days or more it seems a good idea. How far are you?

it can be uncomfortable

it might make you disheartened if it does not work

you might get show, contractions but no labour

it can increase the incidence of meconium in the waters

if your waters are accidentally broken, the clock starts ticking on induction

would not recommend one until 41 + weeks

I am only 39 weeks at the moment - at the appointment with the midwife I will be 40 + 2. I just wanted to get my head around it before I see her so I can make a good decision about whether to go for it or not.

A much more educated reply from Lulumama there!

I had one at at 8 days overdue and went into spontaneous labour about 28 hrs later. dd2 born the following day after a fairly long but straightforward and uncomplicated labour.

thanks !

if this is your first baby stefka, and teh baby is still OP, labour might be a little slower to start anyway.

have a chat with teh MW and see how you feel

I had a sweep naively with my dd. All it did do is start a false labour!!!

I was having a homebirth too, called the MW out at 3am only for everything to stop as soon as she arrived pmsl!

Sweeps only tend to work if the baby is ready, in which case it will be coming anyway so all in all not really worth the pain!

My mw nearly put my head through my bedroom wall when she did it! Ouch!

When I've had a sweep, it has only produced annoying, niggly contractions without leading to the onset of labour.

If it did result in labour, perhaps the baby wouldn't have been in the perfect position for birth. I don't think you can underestimate the value of the last few days of pregnancy.

I had a sweep at 40 + 1 and it caused me to bleed - the midwife said she wasn;t sure whether it was a 'show' or not, but because I bled she sent me to hosp as a precaution, and I ended up being kept in! (luckily I'd been furiously nesting and had most things packed and ready for my dh to bring in to me). Ds eventually came of his own accord 4 days later

Why are you offered a sweep if your over due and what do they actually do?
What do they hope to achieve from doing this?
Sorry curious first timer!

They get on their vetinary gloves, and do what they'd do for a vaginal exam. In addition, they prise away the membranes from the inside of a cervix by 'sweeping' with one finger. It's often called a stretch and sweep, because they stretch the cervix at the same time.

a sweep , or a stretch and sweep, is this:

the MW inserts her fingertip into the cervix to stretch it , and sweep the membranes away from the cervix. the idea is that the irritation of the cervix, the stretching and sweeping releases hormones that will kickstart labour.

HOWEVER - it would seem to only work , if you were going to go into labour within 24 - 48 hours anyway.

best to wait until 41 + weeks, as more chance of it kickstarting something at that stage.

as has been said , it can just give you niggles and pains that don;t lead anywhere

Thankyou.
I've still got 6 weeks till EDD. But always feel its good to be imformed.
Hope everything goes well for you Stefka and good luck with the birth.

Excuse me leaping in here and hi-jacking Stefka's thread, but am tentatively booked in for a stretch and sweep tomorrow so very interested in comments. My due date is 29 Sep, so I'm technically 41 + 2 tomorrow, although I've had a few doubts about whether the DD is correct as I have a 35 day cycle not 28 - am I right in thinking this would mean a due date of 6 oct? Have had this conversation umpteen times with the midwives who all seem happy that 29 Sep is my due date, not least as nuchal scan suggested date of 30 Sep. But not sure how much of a margin for error there is with these things?

Quite keen to get on with things by now, but concerned that might end up with waters broken/having to stay in as sweep carried out too early - and really not up for more painful labour (I am the person who was violently sick after flower prick test for BCG which gives you some idea about my pain threshold!!).

Have a feeling I'll probably get a somewhat more balanced view here as they seem fairly adamant that I NEED a sweep tomorrow!

early scans can be more accurate in terms of dates...

you don;t have to have a sweep at all!

it is really up to you

In my desperation for VBAC I allowed ATTEMPTS at sweeps at 41wks, 41+5 and at 42wks.

The first two were unsuccessful as mw, with long fingers, couldn't even reach! She actually could just about reach on the second one but merely knicked away some of the plug. So you need to be prepared that it might not actually happen! And this can leave you demoralised.

My 3rd was successfully performed, after I had cancelled induction and got booked for Expectant Management. I didn't need that as I went into labour that night and had my VBAC the next day.

With hindsight i have decided that I wouldn't have sweeps in the future as their risks don't outweigh the benefits in my eyes:

Can demoralise you

Uncomfortable or downwright painful

bacteria can be taken from vagina up to cervix

Waters can be accidently broken

contractions can occur which tail off leaving you tired and demoralised

Indignity of lithotomy position

And all this only for it to work if you were going into labour anyway? Isn't it better to be comfortable at home enjoying the last few days of pg, without trekking in with big bump and weariness to wait in a clinic that invariably is running late?

Thanks, Klaw, that's helpful - will discuss with MW tomorrow, at least have more idea now. Problem is that this is my first pg and when I discussed sweep at last appointment and said I wasn't sure, I got all sorts of scaremongering about potential risks and basically wasn't listened to. It was made very clear what the MW thought I should do but I rather felt it was because that would be more convenient - but on the flip side, I would feel dreadful if something did go wrong because I hadn't followed their advice.

One for the morning, I think!