what is Stretch and Sweep and/or Stripping

[samh1706]

I have seen so many mentions of these procedures, including some scary indidences where they have been done without consent and prior to due dates. I still don't really know what is meant by the terms.

Could someone enlighten me please? :o

[dragonflyblu]

I dont know but now I am intrigued.... anyone:confused:

[shell25]

This involves your Midwife placing a finger inside your cervix and making a, sweeping movement to separate the membranes from cervix.

This procedure should be offered before any other induction method. The procedure may cause some discomfort or slight bleeding, but will not cause any harm to your baby and it will not increase the chance of you or your baby getting an infection. There is a risk that your bag of membranes may break but this is not common, Membrane sweeping is not recommended if your membranes have ruptured (water broken).

This has been shown to increase the chances of labour starting naturally within the next 48 hours and can reduce the need for other methods of inductions of labour. At the end of pregnancy,(after 41-42 weeks), sweeping the membranes is a safe way of doubling chances of spontaneous labour over the next week.


This procedure can be done in the place of birth and does not require you to stay in after, they may offer to give you an ultra sound before this, to check the fluid around the baby as after 41 weeks it does start to reduce and then have you stay for about a hour or so after then you return home, to rest and wait.

Different Hospitals and Birth Centers have different procedures in place for this.
I know that it is not always offered to woman, you do have the right to ask your OB or midwife about alternate procedure for natural induction.

(I have copied most of this text from the Birth Centre handbook "Induction of Labour", written by the midwivies of RBH, Birth Center)