When did membrane sweeps become a thing?

[RedRobyn2021]

I had never heard of them until I was pregnant with my first, my mother and grandmother had never heard of them.

When did they become common practice? The NHS seems to be obsessed with them

Even if you say no, they constantly offer or push

I think it's because there's so many more inductions nowadays, it's a potential way to get things going and maybe avoid the induction. Now all the inductions are another story😂 More complexities of course but also a lot of unnecessary inductions. Other than inductions though, I don't really know.

I had one 27 years ago - didn’t work.
and then one 26 years ago - that one did seem to work or may have been a coincidence!

My daughter is 32 and I had one with her..
Didn't work but obviously a thing then...

I am 45 and my Mother had one with me. I had two myself when pregnant with DS, 18 years ago.

So they have been around for a very long time.

I was being pushed to have one, but no one could provide me with any evidence that they actually work. No one seems to have compared groups who did and didn't have them. I wasn't having any of it.

I certainly never pushed them but rarely offer them now, they are so likely to cause a small amount of bleeding that new guidelines (as interpreted by my trust) advise requires at the very least a further attendance to hospital and associated anxiety/ investigation/ change in birth plan that I think, on balance, they do more harm than good.

But I'm asked for them rather than offer them in general.

No idea when they started though!

I had one with DS 19 years ago which did the trick!

I had them 20 years ago with all my kids

DD is 11 and i had one, worked for me, labour started and she was born the next day

I was never offered one and I gave birth 3 weeks ago at 41 weeks pregnant.

I largely suspect that they were done without consent as part of a routine examination many years ago.

I had sweep with both my babies (13&10) but am non-UK based and had an OBGYN.

Sweep worked with DS1, but was already 3cm+ (didn't know it), my waters broke an hour later, contractions started and he arrived within 4 hours.

DS2 was a slow burn as he wasn't fully engaged. Sweep on Friday, labor at midnight on Sunday, he arrived 6am Monday.

I expect it's offered more regularly now to avoid further induction.

My mum had one with my sister 54 years ago ao they aren’t new. Hers did the trick.
I never had reason to be offered one 21 years ago but know people who did have them.

I had one in 2009.

Had one 19 years ago but wasn't offered one 24 years ago. I wish I had been.

Google says that sweeps have been around since the 1800s!

Really! I'm 33 so a similar age

Can you remember why they offered it?

My mum only went 5 days over her due date so perhaps that's why she wasn't offered, but I think it's weird she'd never heard of it from other mums

Really! I thought they offered them from 40 weeks now

Really!

Perhaps because my mother and grandmother weren't really overdue they weren't offered

I just find it so strange because women talk, how could they not have heard of it before

1810 is suggested here:

I had one, painfully, in 1977. It didn't work.

I had one with DD almost 22 years ago. Quite literally the most painful thing ever. I will never forget it.

It was on her due date, I was 1-2 cm dilated and had a scheduled consultant appointment, she said 'baby's on it's way but let's give it a helping hand'

Ended the appointment by saying 'you won't need this but we'll book you in for an induction '. She then offered me 3 dates 10, 11 and 12 days away (I chose the earliest date!). Turns out I did need it and DD was indeed induced 10 days later! She's always been a lazy mare 😁

I had one 21 years ago - it didn't work

They have been around for many many years, mostly given years ago without even naming it. Same as breaking waters.

I was about a week overdue..
In fact she was 2 weeks overdue..they let you go that late then