Give it to me straight - pelvic exam

[Anonymous]

I'm 39 weeks and going in for my first pelvic exam today with my OBGYN. How painful/uncomfortable will it be? How long does the exam last? I'm so not looking forward to this!

[Anonymous]

Do you mean cervical check?

It's bad. But it's also fast, like mere seconds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you mean cervical check?

It's bad. But it's also fast, like mere seconds.

Yes - that's what I meant. My doctor calls it a pelvic exam but I'm assuming it's the same thing (to check if I'm at all dilated, etc.)

[Anonymous]

PP 08:42 here, I should give a disclaimer that some people have more sensitive cervixes than others. Mine is apparently mega-sensitive compared to most. So maybe you are lucky.

IMO it hurts worse when you are not dilated (or like 1cm).

[Anonymous]

It's not at all necessary. It doesn't give you actionable information and risks introducing bacteria. Before you consent, ask your doctor what they will do with the information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not at all necessary. It doesn't give you actionable information and risks introducing bacteria. Before you consent, ask your doctor what they will do with the information.

+ 1 I don't remember this at all. So, either I have a teflon cervix or I entirely skipped it. I think a lot of the more progressive practices recommend against these checks nowadays.

[Anonymous]

They might do a Pap smear too. I feel like that was done somewhere around birth. I would expect her to be a bit rough on your cervix to get labor started. It hurts for like 2 seconds. It’s nothing compared to labor.

[Anonymous]

I'm 37 weeks with baby 3... I'm not sure I've had a real one. I was 0 dilated and 0 effaced before my inductions, so I think they really can't do one unless you're actually dilating. Also, I'm not sure that everyone's fingers are long enough to accurately tell. I remember in my birthing class they said that doctors and nurses should be able to tell by the top of the baby's head which way it was facing... but in labor I asked repeatedly and no one could tell me if baby was head down or sunny side up.

I am going to have my first cervical check next week at 38 weeks. Mostly I just want the information and am curious about the whole process. I don't think it means much though. I had friends who walked around for a month at 4cm dilated. Took my 8 hours on pitocin and was excruciatingly painful to get to 4cm dilated.

[Anonymous]

Long story and you don't need the details but I had a cervical check at 37 and 38 weeks before delivering at 39 weeks. The checks at 37 and 38 nothingburgers. I also don't have any issue with pap smears.

[Anonymous]

You do not have to have a cervical check! They are so painful! I even declined in triage at labor and delivery. Guess what, they admitted me based on other symptoms, I was obviously in labor and it didn’t matter if I was at 4 or 5cm, they can monitor you other ways.

[Anonymous]

I was very clear I did not want my membranes stripped or anything uncomfortable, and the NP was very respectful of that. I actually first told her she couldn’t check at all, but she promised she’d go very easy on me, and she did. At Reiter Hill.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for these responses and insights. Can a cervical check kickstart labor?

[Anonymous]

With my 1st, the cervical checks hurt, a lot. It's very quick though, luckily. I think that part of the exam is less than a minute. I was not dilated at all with my 1st and eventually needed cervadil so maybe that's why it hurt so much. I only had 1 cervical check with my 2nd and it was uncomfortable but didn't hurt, I was 1cm dilated.

[Anonymous]

I never had these

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for these responses and insights. Can a cervical check kickstart labor?

My doctor told me yes, if everything else is already in place for labor to start (eg hormones, baby, etc). With both of my babies, my water broke the day after cervical checks.