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: a stretch and sweep. Is it worth the additional pain and discomfort you might endure" Here?s what you need to know about what happens in the procedure, 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, a membrane stripping or simply a sweep, this technique involves gently lifting the amniotic sac?or fetal membrane?from the cervix and lower part of the 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, which are chemicals that help soften and open the cervix for delivery. ?The hope is to accelerate that onset of labour by the increase of prostaglandins,? explains George Carson, a Regina-based obstetrician.
The ?stretch,? which refers to gently widening the inner part of the cervix, is meant to further stimulate labour. Alix Bacon, a registered midwife in Ladner, BC, says while one finger is required for a membrane sweep, a stretch needs two fingers to be able to fit through the cervix in order to ?literally stretch those fingers apart.? If your cervix isn?t ready to be widened, this p...