stripping membranes?????

Question

hey all, I'm now technically overdue (my due date was the 14th) and I couldn't see my doc last week so I saw him today. Well, he said that he was gonna check my cervix for dilation and then do the membrane stripping, well he couldn't find my cervix (he said it was way way back) and it really hurt when he did the exam and I bled (I know too much info) so he didn't do the membrane stripping, I was too much flabergasted at what happened and forgot to ask him what the membrane stripping was for... so, guys, what is the membrane stripping for???

Answer 1

Stripping the membranes, also known as sweeping the membranes, refers to a simple procedure sometimes done by practitioners during a vaginal exam to initiate labor. The clinician slides a gloved finger through the cervical opening, using a sweeping motion to separate the amniotic membranes from the cervix. It’s thought that stripping the membranes triggers the release of prostaglandins, which may help to initiate labor.
Stripping the membranes feels like an intense vaginal exam but can only be done if your cervix is open wide enough to admit a finger. Side effects may include cramping, temporary cervical bleeding and irregular contractions. This procedure should not increase the risk of infection and is not the same as rupturing the bag of waters, in which the amniotic sac is broken to augment labor.


Its sounds to me like your not as far as he thought you were.. Hope this helps

Answer 2

Sometimes a doctor will strip your membranes to help bring on labor.

http://www.childbirth.org/articles/strip.html

Answer 3

It's supposed to help induce labor (usually within 24-48 hours if it worked). It's basically them "swirling" their finger around to "loosen up" the fluids/mucus plug.

If your bleeding is very 'mucus-y" then its possible that whatever he did got your mucus plug loosened up enough to discharge.

Answer 4

Its just a thing that some doctors do to help progress labor. They usually wont do it unless your over due.