Internal Exams

[CMarie]

Hi Ladies

DH and I only recently decided to have an all natural birth at the hospital so here I am! We took birthing classes through out the month of June and after learning about all the pain medications, procedures, etc we both agreed that natural would be the best thing for our little man I do have one question though that I just want some opinions on especially if you have experience with it!

I was wondering what you guys thought of internal exams at this point? My doctor checked me at 36 weeks and said my cervix was pretty thinned out, but I haven't been checked since. I have my 38 week check up today and I was wondering if I should ask her to check again? I know once I'm admitted into the hospital I want no internal exams at all if possible, but until then is there any point in getting checked or should I just leave it be?

Thank you!!!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I'd not see any reason to be examined at 36 or 38 weeks really. I don't think I will have any internals in this pregnancy unless there is a problem. In my first pregnancy I had no internals, none were even suggested, I had 2 in labour but I chose to have both of them and would have been fine without any.

 

[Bournefree]

^^ Totally agree.

It just isn't necessary for the majorty of women - why did you have a VE at 36wks? Was there some concerns about if baby was engaged and your fundal height wasn't increasing or had drecreased, and they couldn't tell by external examination?

I did find an internal helpful with my first as I was in early labour and requested it myself to know if any progress had been made since the night before, and then no VE for me.

This time, I'm not having any. It all about the OUT not the IN! and I will know if I'm in established labour or not - honestly you really do know.. and when it happened with first baby, I DID know! ;-)

Plus any MW worth their salt will also know how your labour is progressing without VE It's not important to have one and has risks associated with it; such as if your membranes have ruptured, you could introduce infection, or your waters could be accidentaly artifically ruptured prematurely.. also leading to infection and pressure to be induced if labour isn't established for a time after.

It's whatever you are comfortable with and it is your choice.. plus your expressed consent is needed for VE

Xxx

 

[CMarie]

Thanks for the responses ladies!

I was checked at 36 weeks I think because she was doing a swab for my group b strep test...she was already down there so thought she might as well just check I guess

I know in the long run it's going be better if I don't get any internals done, I'm just getting impatient I guess This is my first baby so I'm not sure how it all works and I'm just getting so dang curious! The risk of infection or rupturing my membranes is enough to keep me from getting checked though!

 

[lesbianlove]

here in scotland they do no pap smears no internal cervical checks unless ur overdue and going to be induced and also u can refuse any cervical checks during labour and after delivery, i think us is totaly over medicalised even going the "natural" childbirth way its so different to the uk xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I think you need to ask yourself what difference would that make to you? Knowing it's soft, X % effaced or even dilated? You've said you dont want VEs during labour so why do you want one before? We know that cervical dilation on its own during labour isn't a good indicator of how long it will be before you are fully dilated or your baby is born so how can it possibly be helpful before you're even in labour?! What your cervix is doing won't tell you if you will go into spontaneous labour 10 mins or 10 days later and I would imagine will tell you diddley squat at 36 weeks!

 

[NaturalMomma]

I don't do internal exams. Won't tell you when you'll go into labor. So really no point, in my opinion. I don't do them during labor either.

 

[madasa]

VEs are nearly always pointless. You can be 5cm with no discernible sensations and walk around like that for days.... or you can be high, long and tight and in strong labour 24 hrs later. So..... what's the point??

Sometimes, they are worse than pointless. They affect the woman, make her feel disempowered (let's face it, who enjoys VEs?!) and discouraged.... They don't dispel impatience (they don't make your pregnancy go any quicker!) or curiosity (because they can't tell you when labour will start).

If considering an induction, they can be helpful in working out whether it will be successful. But if the answer is "Yes", then it is also, "but labour is likely to start sometime fairly soon anyway, because the body is WORKING and limbering up for labour as we speak!"

 

[mamawannabee]

Thanks for posting this! It was something I didn't even realize was optional in the hospital, I will have to bring it up to my doctor to make sure, but I would much prefer to not have them if they can have ill effects. I feel like at least in the US it is so common, none of us would even know to ask not to have them.

 

[Ouverture]

Thanks for posting this! It was something I didn't even realize was optional in the hospital, I will have to bring it up to my doctor to make sure, but I would much prefer to not have them if they can have ill effects. I feel like at least in the US it is so common, none of us would even know to ask not to have them.

*Everything* is optional hun

I'm in the U.S. and all of my pregnant friends here just take for granted this process, 'it's just what you do'. They start getting checked around 37 weeks or so, and then spend the next 2-5 weeks holding onto the number they were given thinking it means something.

Our MW's don't do cervical checks unless you get to 40 weeks (then they like to see if your body is at least priming for the birth) and they don't check while you are in labor. Anytime I mention this to the typical U.S. mom though, they look at me like I'm crazy. . .like 'well, how will you know when to push if you don't know how dilated you are? ? ?'

*sigh*

 

[madasa]

Thanks for posting this! It was something I didn't even realize was optional in the hospital, I will have to bring it up to my doctor to make sure, but I would much prefer to not have them if they can have ill effects. I feel like at least in the US it is so common, none of us would even know to ask not to have them.

Makes me crazy-mad/sad - THIS is how downtrodden we women are. Seriously That it wouldn't even occur to so many of us that we can refuse!

YOUR body. You get to say "no thank you". Or if that doesn't work: "I said, NO! EFF OFF!" Regardless of who it is or what they want to do, YOU get the final say. And if you're refusal is ignored, or if you are coerced, that is assault.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Makes me sad, too - your body (especially such an intimate part) is YOURS! You get to say who does what to it, end!

 

[Kess]

I totally agree with you both. Nothing makes me madder about motherhood than women not knowing and understanding fully what their options are. I have no problem with people making different decisions than me, e.g. they decide they want every pain killing drug going during labour, they decide to FF the baby, and not ERF and so on, as long as they are making an informed decision. It bugs me so much when the system doesn't support that, that should be one of the main functions of the health care system - giving us the facts and information to decide on our care.

 

[mamawannabee]

Thank you to all of you for saying this, I guess I knew everything else was optional about the birth, ect but thought at check ups I had to just go with the flow. I have all sorts of demands for the birth and in hospital care, and wouldn't think twice about telling them that's how it will be unless there is a medical reason for something else. Obviously I would never put LO in harms way by refusing something medically necessary such as an emergency c section or to be taken away from me after birth for breathing assistance or anything like that. But check ups just seem so standard, I would never have thought to say something. I will make sure to keep this in mind in third tri as I would agree they aren't necessary!

 

[Kess]

Good for you, Mamawannabee!

 

[madasa]

It also bugs me about breathing assistance, too. The baby has not "breathed" for the last nine months. Where is he getting his oxygen from? So what do they do - cut off his first oxygen supply, so that then they really DO need to help him breathe. And cut off a third of the blood supply too, all those useful red blood cells that would carry oxygen round his body..... Why cut it off??? Drives me insane. I will never understand it.

 

[Bournefree]

^^agreed, everywomen should know their birth rights and thier ultimate right to thier own bodies!! (sometimes I hear terrible language use by medical professionals and pregnant women alike)

.. and it really should not be the normal routine to birth and cut straight away! Esp if they are having difficulties! My MW agreed with me, and said he would keep baby between my legs to resuc. (out of the pool of course!)

And on a funny note, my OH was joking about saying we should keep baby under the water this time for a few min to have a little swim about before coming up!! hahaha - even if I wanted to, I don't think I couldn't keep my hands off.. need cuddles!
Xxx

 

[sophisticat]

Having a VE was the most unpleasant part of my labour! I had to lie on my back and this was the WORST position for me. At the time I saw no other way of getting off the assessment unit and into the delivery suite - and pool - other than to agree to the exam. I'm not sure what would have happened if I'd refused? Anybody know?

 

[Mervs Mum]

You can still get in the pool with out a VE. It would take some strong advocacy but it's doable

 

[madasa]

If they coerce you into allowing them to sticking their fingers in there (by refusing care or limiting options if you do not allow it) - that is assault.