What you need to know before your stretch and sweep
When you?re so pregnant and uncomfortable you can barely roll over in bed, you may not know what to think when your doctor or midwife suggests an even more uncomfortable procedure to hurry up labour. Is a stretch and sweep worth it" We spoke with obstetricians and midwives about what happens, why it?s done and how you?ll feel both during and after. (The great news: It?s not as bad as you might think.)
How does a stretch and sweep work"
Also referred to as a membrane sweep, membrane stripping or simply a sweep, this technique involves gently lifting the amniotic sac?or fetal membrane?from the cervix and lower uterus. Late in pregnancy, a doctor or midwife inserts a gloved finger through the cervical canal and uses a sweeping motion to separate the membrane from the cervix. This ?sweep,? releases prostaglandins, chemicals that help to soften and open the cervix for delivery. ?The hope is to accelerate that onset of labour by the increase of prostaglandins,? explains Regina-based obstetrician George Carson.
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To further stimulate labour is the ?stretch? of a stretch-and-sweep, which refers to gently widening the inner cervix. Alix Bacon, a registered midwife in Ladn...
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