In plain words
A membrane sweep is also called membrane stripping. During a cervical exam, a provider places a gloved finger through the cervix and moves it in a circle. This separates the membranes from the cervix. The goal is to start labor sooner, which some providers offer near or after the due date. It is not always comfortable, and it can cause cramping and spotting. Some people go into labor soon after, and some do not. It is not the same as your water breaking. Ask your provider whether they offer it, and what they would do if labor does not follow.
The deeper version
A membrane sweep is a manual separation of the chorioamniotic membranes from the lower uterine segment during a digital cervical examination, performed by rotating a finger around the internal os. Its effect is thought to come from local release (PGE2 and PGF2-alpha) and from mechanical stimulation of the cervix, a reflex sometimes called the . Boulvain and colleagues (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2005) found sweeping associated with more spontaneous labor and fewer formal inductions, with more bleeding and discomfort as harms. ACOG Practice Bulletin 107 (2009) discusses sweeping within its guidance. The controversy concerns whether the benefit justifies routine offering given the discomfort and bleeding.
Where it comes up
- Going past your due datePregnancy: Your Body
- Induction: why, how, and what to askGetting Ready for Birth
- Signs labor is startingGetting Ready for Birth
- Early labor at home: when to go inGetting Ready for Birth
What mothers here say about membrane sweep
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Sources
- Boulvain M and colleagues — Membrane sweeping for induction of labour, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2005)
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Practice Bulletin 107: Induction of Labor (2009)