Do midwives do internal examinations at appointments?

[mrsjoker35]

Im 38 weeks pregnant today, and i have my 38 week appointment tomorrow. I know their going to do blood tests.
But is there at any point they'll want to check internally??

No. Not unless they do a sweep and here that's not until 41 weeks at least

Not until you're in labour - there's not much to see!

They won't have a look unless you go overdue and want them to do a stretch and sweep/ check for cervix 'softness'

The only one I had was when labour started and to see how many cms I was. Think she did a sweep too as it was so fucking painful I jumped 2 feet off the bed and there was lots of blood. No warning either.

A others have said. No. The only ones I had were for attempted and unsuccessful sweeps when I was overdue

I had a sweep at 36+5 at my midwife appointment so she may ask if you want one.

How come they gave you a sweep before full term Butter?

I had my 38 week check up last week. I wanted a sweep as I'm due to be induced on Friday, but midwife said it was pointless that early if it's your first as the cervix would be too high up to reach without a lot of discomfort.

Second baby, had growth scans so new everything was OK. The next appointment would have been 38 weeks.
I was very uncomfortable and baby was fully engaged.
I think it helped as I new my midwife very well (she was my midwife for all of my appointments for dc1 which was 18 months before) and she had also been my midwife all through this pregnancy too. Ds2 was born at 36+6, ds1 37 weeks.

shrug

Over here we have an internal cervix check at every midwife appointment starting from the 6th month, to make sure it's still "closed".

I would have assumed it was the same in the UK but there you go.

Thanks for the replys . quite varied. I kinda wanted to prepare myself if it was a possibility that it could happen. Ill prepare and "prep" myself just incase ??

I had an internal check at 37 weeks with DD2. I delivered DD1 at 38 weeks so the midwife was just checking for anything 'obvious'. She didn't make any remarks. DD2 also born at 38 weeks. So I doubt before 40 weeks they'd expect anything with a first one. I think if there is a reason to (bleeding, change in discharge, pressure, bump lower) they might but otherwise it would be discomfort with little reason.

An internal at every appt from then on goodnessgraciousgoudaoriginal ? Wow. Seems unnecessary but always interesting how differently they do things in different countries. Where are you?

Never.

Seems strange that internals are routinely carried out elsewhere, just to check the cervix is closed? I'd imagine it's more risky to interfere with things up there.

i had a sweep at 38 weeks and then one at 39 weeks and one at 40+3 which sent me into labour. Midwife never just checked internally for no reason, if there was a reason to I was sent to the hospital for dr to.