Should I get my cervix checked at my appt. today?

[GuavaGirl]

Last appt my CNM asked if I wanted her to check and see if I was dilated. I just said, "um, I don't think so." ...but now I'm kinda curious, with all of the contractions I've been having. Should I have her check it today, or is there really no point? I know that it might not actually mean anything, one way or another. Is there a risk of messing something up down there...like membrane stuff?

[hapersmion]

I think usually it ends up leaving you feeling worse than you started out. You're right, you're not going to get any useful info. Either you won't be dilated at all, and then you'll be depressed about it (and still potentially have the baby two hours later), or you'll be very dilated and still go two more weeks, except with more suspense, etc.

There is a risk - how big it is I don't know. Sometimes people end up with their membranes stripped without consent (hopefully you have a better CP than that), or even their water broken. And there's always the chance of introducing germs. So I wouldn't recommend it.

All that said, it's hard not to be curious. I checked my cervix this morning... it's the same as it was last week, and the week before that, and when I was 8 weeks pregnant...

[judybean]

It's a totally personal thing... because.. well, there's not necessarily much to be gained from it! It doesn't necessarily mean anything. I mean, you COULD get great news like, "hey! you're dilating! Great job!" and at least you feel like your contractions/tightening has done SOMETHING! But, if you get a "nothing is happening".. then you'll leave feeling quite deflated and lose confidence in your body (even though it COULD be doing something! just not anything outwardly recognizable... maybe it's just prepping and getting ready for the 'big show' and things will happen in a flash!).

I really don't have a baseline for checking myself... only started a few weeks ago... and I can't reach my cervix even... *but* things are softening... and that's enough for me to not lose hope yet. (I've had terrible crampy pains lately).

[SunRise]

So did you get it checked! Any news!

I had mine checked a few days ago - I was curious and "needed" to know! I was disappointed to find out nothing was going on, but do not regret getting it checked. (I had said no the prior week)

[busymama77]

It is very personal and I wished I would've not started getting it checked so early on - 35 weeks. I'll be 39 weeks on Sunday and I'm still at 1cm. Am I bummed - you bet - 'cause I've had a ton of movement with the baby and ton of stabbing pain on top of my cervix that really made me think that things had progressed more (they did with DS#1, so that's what I'm basing it off of).

But what's done is done and now weekly I have to get it checked (in my OB's office). It's just what they do the last month. Whichever... got another appt next Wednesday so we'll see what happens then. I had some more major pain last night - so bad that I couldn't even walk. Same as before....

[PseudoDiva]

I started getting checked at 34 weeks due to preterm labor, and at my most recent appointment I opted not to do it. It's exciting when there's progress, but then if there isn't you just feel depressed. I'm 40w2d now, and I think things are progressing just based on how much egg white mucus I have. That's good enough for me. I don't even know if I'll be checked during labor.

I'd say don't bother, ignorance is bliss!

[OlyR]

I have only had it checked once - to give us a "baseline" in case I did have to be induced during the high blood pressure scare. I didn't think my body was ready at all (this was 1 week ago) so I wasn't dissapointed at all to learn that I was not dilated. She did say things were slightly soft and thinning. I don't think I will be checked again. After this week of contractions and mucus-y discharge I probably would be dissapointed if there wasn't measurable change - even though I KNOW it doesn't mean much one way or the other...

The risks explained to me are possible increase of infection (especially if your water has broken) and also I have heard of many providers not explaining the membrane sweep (running a finger around to separate the sac and the cervix) and asking consent to do it.

[GuavaGirl]

SunRise: No I didn't do it. She asked if I wanted to, and my CNM just said.."only if you want to...I don't really need to." I just said, "nah, let's not then." I wasn't in the mood.

[aramat]

I've only had checks while definitely in labor, and even then those numbers TICK ME OFF. The only numbers I ever want to hear are 9 or 10; I tend to refer to all other numbers as "bulls**t!!"

[jul511riv]

Originally Posted by aramat

I've only had checks while definitely in labor, and even then those numbers TICK ME OFF. The only numbers I ever want to hear are 9 or 10; I tend to refer to all other numbers as "bulls**t!!"

yea dat!

[djsnjones]

I generally recommend that mothers not get checked before labor has already started because 1) it does not give you any useful information, and 2) just getting the dilation checked (even without "sweeping the membranes") can set up an inflammation process which can cause the bag to break about 48 hrs later. The bad part about that is that once the waters have broken most care-givers start a clock ticking--a deadline for when the baby needs to be born--which tends to reduce your ability to have a natural childbirth.

Even if the practice that you are going to has the routine of doing cervical checks every week in the last month, theoretically you can still decline them, just as you can decline anything that any care-giver suggests for your care.

Joy