membrane stripping-- without telling!?!

[aweynsayl]

Ok, one of my gfs said her doc stripped her membranes at her apt the other day... without telling her. Without asking. Another gal said that's quite common!

I was SHOCKED. In my birthing class, our teacher warned against it period, as it can start a labor that is not ready to start, which leads to "stalled" labor, pit induction, epis, c-s, etc....

We've not heard from the gf in a couple days, and IF she ended up having a horrible birthing experience, I will be LIVID.

Is this really common practice? I know I shouldnt be suprised, but there was NO REASON TO DO THIS... she wasnt even at 40 weeks. WTF????

:irked:

[AllisonK]

I am so sorry your friend had to go through that. Unfortunately I have heard of that happening all to often. Tell your friend it is not to late to switch careproviders if she does not like this one.

Allison

[Ellarae]

Wow. I would be absolutely furious! Thank goodness my midwife would never do that!

[*violet*]

Yep, this happened to me in labor, with a doctor I had never seen before. It was terrifying. I had no idea what was going on. Never again!

[Cyneburh]

I've heard of it too. Only with this friend, the doc did it at 36 weeks and accidently broke her sac. She didn't go into labor and ended up with a ceserean. She had a cecerean with her second because she wasn't "allowed" to have a VBAC (hospital policy issue) and then had her next 3 kids at home.

[KittyKat]

Just one more great reason to decline all internal exams in late pregnancy!

You can't strip the membranes without sticking your hand up there, and if no hands are being stuck up there, no membrane stripping is happening.

Vaginal Exams are a COMPLETE waste of time anyways. You can be ZERO dilated and go into labor that same day, or be 3-4 cm dilated and go around that way for a month.

Kathryn

[LeosMama]

:yeah:

Membrane stripping happens all the time w/ and w/o permission.

It's a form of rape, in my opinion.

[NaomiLorelie]

I knoew someone it happened to as well. That's why you have to trust your provider, if you choose one at all. Last pregnancy my midwife said she could if I really wanted to, but prefers to let things occur when they are ready. I agree so no stripping for me.

[PerennialMom]

Just one more great reason to decline all internal exams in late pregnancy!

You can't strip the membranes without sticking your hand up there, and if no hands are being stuck up there, no membrane stripping is happening.

Vaginal Exams are a COMPLETE waste of time anyways. You can be ZERO dilated and go into labor that same day, or be 3-4 cm dilated and go around that way for a month.

Kathryn

:yeah:

I've heard this happens a lot too.

Nobody puts their hand up to check anything until I feel ready to push. My midwife won't do them until 42 weeks anyway.

[aweynsayl]

It's a form of rape, in my opinion.


That's totally how I felt about it! She didnt seem phased... but that was Friday, and we've not heard from her.... I'm really mad and scared for her at this point!!

I actually dreamed someone (a man at my Birth Center... which is funny, cause there are none) offered me one and I basically ran screaming. I dont plan on ever having one, period. Ick.

[surf mama]

My midwife did that and I was so mad. I thought she was just checking dilation but it hurt so bad. She didn't even tell me after she did it. I found out later when I was at the hospital talking to a nurse. I just couldn't believe she would do something without telling me first.

I hope your friend is doing well.

[mamacatsbaby]

:jaw OMG, how aweful! I am absolutely stunned that this happens w/o the practitioner discusssing it with the PG woman beforehand about whether or not she wants to have this done. I really shouldn't be but I am.

I had already decided that no one was coming near my vagina till I felt pushy as a PP stated, and I don't really want anyone there then! Reading this thread makes me even more adament about this.

moosemommy I hope all is well with your friend!

[annettemarie]

It happened to me with my first, and it led to me thinking I was in labor when I wasn't, which led to me going to the hospital when I didn't need to, which led to them keeping me because I was already two weeks postdue, which led to an induction, which led to 27 hours of hellish labor, which led to two failed epidurals, which led to two hours of pushing, which led to a forceps delivery.

[celestialdreamer]

Yep, my former sOB did that in ALL of my last internal exams from 37 weeks on when I was pregnant with my dd. She never asked, she just DID it :( It was extremely painful, and even during one 'exam' I told her 'owwww, STOP', she said 'oh I'm almost done'. My HB midwife is concerned that I may have scar tissue on my cervix from my former sOB doing that. We are hoping it won't prevent my cervix from dilating like it should, but she said there is the possibility that I might need a vigorous 'exam' like that one time as I'm starting into labor to loosen any scar tissue. My midwife is not the type to suggest stuff like that without good cause, so it makes me REALLY pissed that OB did that to me, which may cause me problems in the future :angry Of course, I will never EVER go back to any OB without some serious complication occuring that makes me. The above story is one of many reasons why :irked:

[Sydnee]

Wow, I have never heard of that happening, how horrible! :irked: I had my membranes stripped with DD#2, but I knew about it, as I requested him doing it, but he is also one that explains EVERYTHING that he does, as it should be. :thumb

[waterbaby9503]

Thank you ladies for reminding me again all the good reasons I have for declining pelvic's at each and any prenatal! My mw is wanting to just "check things out" but no way.
I agree with PerrenialMom; the first pelvic may be done when I feel ready to push!

[rainbowmoon]

I think it's comon. even for some MW's too (aka MEDwives)

I had my membranes stripped without my consent at 40 weeks by a midwife at a birth center. she was quite rough too. anyway my water broke within hours and baby was in a bad position. I ended up a c/s and I feel that the stripping of the membranes was what started the downward spiral.

so it's not just OB's..just wanted to put that out there. ;) definitly decline any internals if you are worried about this!

[TripMom]

oooooooooohh. I've heard a lot of these stories too. Usually with a momma who is at or over her due date and quite anxious to deliver. Just 2 weeks ago one of my best friends had a doc do this to her without telling her. Good news though - she had no problems and delivered a healthy 8 lb'er - no c-section or any horrible labor tales.

[rainbowmoon]

oooooooooohh. I've heard a lot of these stories too. Usually with a momma who is at or over her due date and quite anxious to deliver. Just 2 weeks ago one of my best friends had a doc do this to her without telling her. Good news though - she had no problems and delivered a healthy 8 lb'er - no c-section or any horrible labor tales.

I would consider her very lucky.

[aprilushka]

My OB did it to me last pregnancy at 38 weeks and a few days without telling me. I didn't even realize what she did until a year or so later and had read more about this sort of thing. I remember all she said was "what I just did might make you bleed a bit".

A couple of days later my water broke (not all the way) and that led to induction (didn't go into active labor for 24 hours though was in early labor when they started it) and eventually c/s, which led me into researching birth the way I should have the first time around.

[huggerwocky]

:angry

I'd never allow it and sicne I'm educated might even let caregivers sign they won't strip before they can perform an exam.

[LeslieB]

I was shocked when I recently learned how often this happens. They have no right to be doing that without your consent. I actually have that on my birth plan and discussed it with the midwife at my last appointment. I was so happy to hear that they ask for permission before stripping the membranes.
It seems there are so many uneducated women out there, too, who will consent to it when there seems to be no good reason for it. I think it's great that we can all educate ourselves to know what is best.

[rainbowmoon]

well my MW did tell me she did not strip membranes routinley and would definitly not do it on a gbs+ woman. but she did it anyway! so still be wary! even if they say they don't do it. if you are worried skip the internal.

[the_lissa]

I mod a pregnancy community, and it is very common. Not only do doctors not even ask for informed consent, they don't even telll people until it is over! :irked:

[Tori Gollihugh]

Ok, one of my gfs said her doc stripped her membranes at her apt the other day... without telling her. Without asking. Another gal said that's quite common!

I was SHOCKED. In my birthing class, our teacher warned against it period, as it can start a labor that is not ready to start, which leads to "stalled" labor, pit induction, epis, c-s, etc....

We've not heard from the gf in a couple days, and IF she ended up having a horrible birthing experience, I will be LIVID.

Is this really common practice? I know I shouldnt be suprised, but there was NO REASON TO DO THIS... she wasnt even at 40 weeks. WTF????

:irked:
Yep, I think this is very common... even among hospital midwives. In my experience (with a midwife) she told me what she was doing, but I did not have a clear understanding of what it meant. I thought it was just checking on my cervix more than usual or something. It wasn't until after she did it that I *knew* I was likely to go into labor. I'm pretty upset with myself for being ignorant on that subject. I knew SO much about everything and I do think my midwife thought I knew what she was talking about... but she should have made sure, I think!

*sigh* It's also an issue of convenience... at least with me... my midwife swiped me on a Thursday and I'm QUITE sure she did it so she would hopefully not have a weekend baby!! :( How frustrating.

I hope your friend's birth went all right.

[KittyKat]

I cannot understand why a true MIDwife would do an internal exam AT ALL before labor. It DOES NOT provide any meaningful information!!! I understand some clients may request one, OK, but if *I* were a midwife I'd educate my clients on why internal exams are not necessary, and why they increase risk of infection, and why they aren't useful for anything except maybe if you're having pre-term contractions and need to know if the cervix is changing or something!

JUST SAY NO to unecessary interventions! How hard is that to comprehend?

Sorry, but I'm sitting here uncomfortable and frustrated at 33 weeks, and I needed to vent a little. Back to your regularly scheduled sane discussion. :lol

Kathryn