Evening Primrose Oil

[mlh]

HI,

I am due at the end of the month. My midwife is having me take evening primrose oil 3 times a day in a pill and will start squirting my cervix with it on tuesday..then once a week. They say this will soften my cervix. In my first pregnancy my cervix never softened.
Anyway, just curious if anyone else is doing this and what they think about it.

Thanks suzy

[MotherWhimsey]

I just shove two caplets up to my cervix each night and let them do their thing while I sleep. I don't take it by mouth. I might start though. I did the evening primrose oil vaginally last time too and gave birth at 39 weeks, but I'm not sure how much the oil had to do with that. But I figure that it can't hurt, so why not.

[beckydv]

In my first pregnancy I was threatened with induction for high blood pressure at 37 weeks, but I balked, so besides putting me on bedrest my midwife told me to start taking 9 EPO gelcaps a day. Three at each meal, all orally. Don't know if it did the trick, but I went into labor on my own four days later.

I wondered later if the EPO was to help prepare my cervix in the case of the induction that they figured was coming? I don't know. Maybe it was just a placebo.

[njbeachgirl]

At how many weeks did she say to start applying it to the cervix? Just curious, I'm thinking of doing it closer to my due date if nothing is happening.

[bc1995]

I took EPO orally when I was pregnant with ds1 starting around 37 weeks. I was induced at 41 weeks due to PIH. I never took any with ds2 and went into labor on my own on his due date. My cervix never really softened until I was in labor with both of them.

[mlh]

Originally Posted by njbeachgirl

At how many weeks did she say to start applying it to the cervix? Just curious, I'm thinking of doing it closer to my due date if nothing is happening.

I started taking the pills last week (36 weeks) and she will start applying it to my cervix on tuesday..I will be 37 weeks.
I am attempting a VBAC and this is a reason for my midwife wanting me to do this. She hopes it will make this time around go much smoother! Let's hope!

[logan&jordansmommy]

My mw had me start this at 38 weeks and I am now 39 weeks. I take 3 caps 3x/day then 2 vaginally. I am 1 cm and 50% effaced and soft. I don't know if I would be this way without the EPO or not but I had some scar tissue on my cervix last time so we are hoping this will help.

[sbm1001]

For those of you taking them orally, three times a day, what is the mg's in each capsule?

I've been taking two caps a day/1200 or 1300 mg each, & one vaginally at night. I did this with my last pg & went 4 days past my EDD & had a much shorter labor than any of my others. It was my first VBAC, too, though I'm not sure that matters.

Shannon

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

I'm wondering about the dosages, too. I have 1000 mg caps, I've just been taking them orally, 1 each twice a day. My cervix is just mushy, mushy, mushy. I've been too chicken to start with the vaginal route, for some reason :
Can you take too much?

[mlh]

I didn't think about the amt in each capsule. Mine are only 500 mg. My mw just told me to take a pill 3 times a day, but did not mention the mg amt. I don't think you can take too much.
Someone posted earlier that they took 9 pills a day.
I'm not sure that the epo makes you go into labor, but just helps to make things easier for when you do go into labor.
My cervix never softened which is one reason for the ceserean birth with my 1st dd.
suzy

[BunnyMcFluff]

I'm 37+ weeks. I'm doing 3 1600mg caps a day, and I've inserted them a couple of times (starting last Thurs). Last Weds week my ob told me I was 80% effaced, 1cm dilated and my cervix firm. I checked myself last night, and I think I must be completely effaced b/c my cervix isn't raised like it was last week. It's just a flat and obvious opening. I don't think I'll keep inserting the EPO, but I'll probably continue taking it orally.

[steffanie3]

I am taking just one orally and one vaginally a day, I am 37 weeks and have been doing that since 36 weeks.