Declining cervix checks at prenatal visits

[Anonymous]

I’m considering declining them until closer to my due date. My doctors office seems to do them starting at 36 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Had one at 40 weeks per my request, second kid…never had one. Planned c section with second, induced w first. Midwife practice - never understood the point of constant checks!

[Anonymous]

Do it! I had no idea during my first pregnancy that they could be declined. I didn’t do any of them until my induction with my second pregnancy, and I’ll do the same this time around. What’s the point of telling me I’m dilated? Means nothing in terms of how close I am to needing to go to the hospital if I’m not having other signs of labor

[Anonymous]

My water broke at 37 weeks the evening following my first internal check in late pregnancy.

The person wasn't rough with me but I felt sore after. At the visit, there was no sign of dilation.

Was my 2nd and last pregnancy by choice.

I would delay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My water broke at 37 weeks the evening following my first internal check in late pregnancy.

The person wasn't rough with me but I felt sore after. At the visit, there was no sign of dilation.

Was my 2nd and last pregnancy by choice.

I would delay.

Same here, but i was 38w with my first. No signs of dilation or thinning of cervix, and I was really sore afterwards. Water broke less than 18 hours later. I didn't go into labor on my own after my water broke, so I ended up being induced (pitocin only). I do wonder sometimes if the cervical check led to membrane rupture.

I declined checks in my 2nd pregnancy until just before my scheduled induction. I had a check the morning before to determine whether I needed cervical ripening overnight. I didn't, so that check was worth it to avoid needing to show up for overnight induction.

[Anonymous]

I never had them, except when in active labor. They aren't necessary.

[Anonymous]

Listen to this: my regular ob was on vacation so I had a sub (a male fwiw) for my first cervix check. To say it was excruciating was an understatement. And while I sat there writhing, the guy turned to me and said “you thought that hurt? I don’t know how you’re going to handle labor”.

Next week my regular ob was back. I braced myself for the cervix check and it was absolutely painless.

That being said, I feel like cervix checks added no value to my life and some pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Listen to this: my regular ob was on vacation so I had a sub (a male fwiw) for my first cervix check. To say it was excruciating was an understatement. And while I sat there writhing, the guy turned to me and said “you thought that hurt? I don’t know how you’re going to handle labor”.

Next week my regular ob was back. I braced myself for the cervix check and it was absolutely painless.

That being said, I feel like cervix checks added no value to my life and some pain.

Wow. I hope you complained. I'm sorry that happened.

[Anonymous]

Yes in retrospect I 100% should have complained. Unfortunately I did not.

[Anonymous]

Feel free. For me the only value was finding out I was already effaced by 37 weeks helped better plan the timing and process for my (medically needed) induction. For most people I can’t imagine what you’d do with the information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My water broke at 37 weeks the evening following my first internal check in late pregnancy.

The person wasn't rough with me but I felt sore after. At the visit, there was no sign of dilation.

Was my 2nd and last pregnancy by choice.

I would delay.

Same here, but i was 38w with my first. No signs of dilation or thinning of cervix, and I was really sore afterwards. Water broke less than 18 hours later. I didn't go into labor on my own after my water broke, so I ended up being induced (pitocin only). I do wonder sometimes if the cervical check led to membrane rupture.

I declined checks in my 2nd pregnancy until just before my scheduled induction. I had a check the morning before to determine whether I needed cervical ripening overnight. I didn't, so that check was worth it to avoid needing to show up for overnight induction.

+1

My water broke at 37 weeks with my first within an hour of my first cervical check. I never went into labor and went through a rough 24 hours of pitocin-induced contractions before I delivered.

I declined cervical checks with my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th until I was in active labor at the hospital. The checks don’t give helpful information anyway since you can sit around dilated and effaced for weeks or barely be dilated and go into labor that day.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Baby was born 36 and 3 days. I wanted to decline second cervix check but doctor said no. Went from a 4 to a 9 in less than an hour. No time for epidural. Baby was out in a few pushes. Doctor kept saying we don’t know where you’re are, if your contractions are regular blah blah blah even when I was complaining about pain and asking for epidural. She said we need to check then leaves the room. So frustrating!! Speak up ladies. I was speaking up and still nothing .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Baby was born 36 and 3 days. I wanted to decline second cervix check but doctor said no. Went from a 4 to a 9 in less than an hour. No time for epidural. Baby was out in a few pushes. Doctor kept saying we don’t know where you’re are, if your contractions are regular blah blah blah even when I was complaining about pain and asking for epidural. She said we need to check then leaves the room. So frustrating!! Speak up ladies. I was speaking up and still nothing .

So did you end up getting the first one? When did you get to hospital?This is my nightmare that I won’t have time for epidural. I plan to decline them until I go into labor but my understanding is when you go into labor naturally, they do need to check to see how dilated you are before you can get the epidural.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Baby was born 36 and 3 days. I wanted to decline second cervix check but doctor said no. Went from a 4 to a 9 in less than an hour. No time for epidural. Baby was out in a few pushes. Doctor kept saying we don’t know where you’re are, if your contractions are regular blah blah blah even when I was complaining about pain and asking for epidural. She said we need to check then leaves the room. So frustrating!! Speak up ladies. I was speaking up and still nothing .

So did you end up getting the first one? When did you get to hospital?This is my nightmare that I won’t have time for epidural. I plan to decline them until I go into labor but my understanding is when you go into labor naturally, they do need to check to see how dilated you are before you can get the epidural.

I was screaming to be checked so I could get epidural but nurse wanted doc to check again and doc was delivering another baby. Went from maybe 4 to 10 in less than an hour but possible nurse got it wrong. Few pushes he was out.

[Anonymous]

So you had a really easy birth and have decided to fixate on this to have something to complain about? I suggest getting some real problems