Membrane strips, or membrane sweeps as they are sometimes called, are a method used by doctors to induce labor. During a membrane strip, the doctor will insert his or her finger into the cervix and sweep their finger around to separate the water bag from the uterus. Membrane strips are optional and a doctor may or may not perform one upon request.
When the water bag is separated from the uterus, a hormone is secreted that has the ability to ripen the cervix and cause contractions. If contractions are strong and frequent enough, the cervix may begin to dilate which can lead to full-on labor.
Some doctors perform membrane strips and others are opposed to it. If your doctor offers you a membrane strip, he or she may do so once you are considered full-term at 37 weeks, or he or she may wait until 42 weeks as a last-ditch attempt to induce labor without the use of Picotin. Also, I was informed at my doctor’s office that some practitioners are more skilled at membrane strips and have higher labor-inducing success rates than others.
It is very important to keep in mind that your baby is still developing at 37 weeks, so I would advise not to have a membrane strip this early. A study has shown that babies born at 37 or 38 weeks have a greater risk of reading and math issues later in life. Babies born this early were 14 percent more likely to have a mild reading impairment, 33 percent more likely to have a severe reading impairment, and 16 percent more likely to have a mild math impairment.
Certain women should not have a membrane strip. If it is unsafe for you to deliver vaginally, have had unexplained vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, or need to be induced to have your baby immediately for the sake of his his or her health, you may not be a good candidate for a membrane strip.
From my experience talking to women who have had membrane strips, I have learned that some claim it was more painful than giving birth and others only reported slight discomfort. Again, this may have to do with which doctor is performing the membrane strip and also your tolerance for pain. I had a membrane strip performed at 38.5 weeks and I do agree it was painful, but it only lasted about five seconds.
Membrane strips are indeed effective in inducing labor. Women who have them performed at the 40-week mark during pregnancy are 30 percent more likely to go into labor within 48 hours than those who have not had one.
My doctor told me that if the membrane strip was going to work to expect results in about 24 to 48 hours. I had my membrane strip at 10 a.m. and began having contractions by 8 p.m. that night. After 38 hours of labor, I gave birth to my daughter. I am confident my membrane strip worked.
