Do pessaries work in induction

[MummaT84]

Being induced on Wednesday at 38 weeks
Can you opt to just go straight on the drip to not waste time?
All I've heard is the pessaries don't work 🙄

They were going to give me the option but my waters broke so put me straight on the drip but I'm sure they give you options. The midwife told me you can pick whatever you want.

It definitely worked on me.

Was super quick here with a pessary

Worked for me 17 hours later my baby was in my arms!

They did start contraction in my induction but stopped after a while, 2 pessaries got me to 5cm. I had the drip once they broke my waters which was not nice, the contractions are much worse than natural onset labour and it made me vomit. I highly recommend the epidural if you have to get the drip.

@MummaT84

Being induced on Wednesday at 38 weeks Can you opt to just go straight on the drip to not waste time? All I've heard is the pessaries don't work 🙄

Mine did. Worked very quickly too

Worked for me, had my baby about 6-7 hours later!

Ask them to check your cervix before they start, if you are already starting then the pessary might get you started but if you are nowhere near then ask how likely you are to deliver without needing more intervention than induction. There is nothing worse than going ages in labour & then needing an EMCS, in that case I would go straight to C section & not be worn out & sleep deprived.

They didn't work for me, not one little bit. I was on the induction for three days and nada!

@MummaT84

You can only have your waters broken if your cervix is open enough for them to do that (favourable). That's why you are given a pessary - to soften and open the cervix.

Yes, of course they work....if they didn't work they wouldn't be used.

@MummaT84

Being induced on Wednesday at 38 weeks Can you opt to just go straight on the drip to not waste time? All I've heard is the pessaries don't work 🙄

I had to have 3, very painful too

Yes, worked for me but I was 42 weeks and slightly dilated already

Worked for me, baby born 19 hours later. However I was 41+6 and I’m pretty sure I would have gone into labour naturally around then anyway. I have heard that the pessary is best in situations where a natural labour is imminent, so maybe less likely to work on an early induction? I have absolutely no scientific knowledge to base this on, just what I’ve heard.

A bit different for me as my waters had gone 24 hours before but labour hadn’t started. Pessary at 12pm, contractions by 2.30pm, baby at 5.33pm so it worked for me and I was 38 weeks.

The hormone drip would be ineffective if your waters are still intact.

The aim of induction using the pessary or the gel is to get your cervix to a point where they can break your waters.

Before they administer any of the forms of induction they will examine you to see if your cervix is already open enough to have your waters broken. If not then the first option is usually the pessary which remains in for 24 hours where they will check again to see if they can break the waters

First time mum here, took pessary out, went into labour minutes later. Same with another girl on my induction bay. I had awful awful experience with the balloon before the pessary

Worked for me, had one as an outpatient at 42 weeks, cervix doing nothing. I think being at home was more relaxed than in a hospital so probably helped a lot. Had to rush back when I woke up with contractions a few minutes apart in the night.

Of course they work! They don't do them for fun! Do you really think the NHS would waste their time on something that doesn't work?

Mine took three hours to start kicking in, then I had a baby eight hours later with no further helping along than that first pessary. First baby, not dilated at all or effaced at all when they put it in. It bloody well did work!

My waters went exactly 12 hours after my pessary went in (just before it was due to be taken out). Had my baby 3 hours 18 mins later

I had one with my first. Worked quickly for me

Mine didn’t work - tried twice!

Another one who it worked very quickly for! Pessary in at 10am, baby out by 6.30pm. The midwife said some women are very sensitive to the pessary.

Everyone said I'd be in hospital for days with an induction, so I packed my husband off to work and settled in for a nice few days of watching Netflix. Baby had other ideas tho husband only just made it in time

Thank you 🙏 mixed experiences but I understand the process a bit more and what the pessaries are used for. Cheers ladies x

Yep super quick!!!

Gel pessaries didn't for me. But then it was an early induction, so it was highly unlikely to anyway.

Sister had the regular 12 hour pessaries. The first one didn't work, but the second one did. She was 2 weeks overdue at the time.