Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

My Dr. mentioned this as an option, I've heard some not so good stories about it, and was wondering if you had this done, what your experience was?
TIA.

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

Is that like having your membranes stripped?? I had it done when I was 2 cm dialiated. It wasn't guaranteed that I would go into labor but, the next morning, my water broke!!

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

I'm pretty sure my doc did this to me at my last appointment at 39 weeks... it didn't do anything for me. I lost my mucous plug a week later and delivered two days after that... and let me tell you, when he did it, it HURT!

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

If it's having your membranes stripped then yes I had it done but she actually did it at my 5 days late appointment where it turned out I was actually already in labor and this helped keep things moving right along because I was in prodromal labor for 2 days. It definitely was uncomfortable but not unbearable.

I read your other post on pregnancy and I just want to encourage you not to let your doctors do anything you don't want. They cannot force you to be induced, it is your right to choose as a patient. My midwives don't really encourage induction until 42 weeks unless you or the baby are at risk. They follow you very closely once you are past your due date with NST's and ultrasounds but other than that try to let your body do what it was designed to do.

I was 5 days late but before that as miserable as I was I was prepared to go to 42 weeks if I had to just to avoid induction. I had made it that far (after having high BP and talks of induction due to that) and I wasn't going to give up on trying to have a natural childbirth.

Well just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore it happened and I went to my appointment and walked over to the hospital to have my baby just as nature intended. Hang in there. A lot can happen in no time in childbirth. Don't be discouraged by your internals. I chose not to have any except at 37 weeks when there was still talk of possible induction due to my blood pressure. I am pretty positive my next one wasn't until my due date. They really mean NOTHING!!!

Never forget- YOU are in CHARGE not the doctors

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

Posted by Bxgell2

I'm pretty sure my doc did this to me at my last appointment at 39 weeks... it didn't do anything for me. I lost my mucous plug a week later and delivered two days after that... and let me tell you, when he did it, it HURT!

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

Thanks ladies.
Actually, cervical ripening is when you go to the hospital & they give you a suppository (Blech! ) that contains prostaglandin (or something like it). It's really to soften the cervix & get things moving. Pretty much it's the first stage of an induction.
I just read a terrible article on it, so my impatient doctors can be assured that I will not go fo it!
Article on cervical ripening
Thanks again for all you input!

Message edited 12/7/2005 1:32:06 PM.

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

Posted by AndreaLMT

Thanks ladies.
Actually, cervical ripening is when you go to the hospital & they give you a suppository (Blech! ) that contains prostaglandin (or something like it). It's really to soften the cervix & get things moving. Pretty much it's the first stage of an induction.
I just read a terrible article on it, so my impatient doctors can be assured that I will not go fo it!
Article on cervical ripening
Thanks again for all you input!

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

I had it done with both pregnancies. Honestly, I think it's best to start off this way if you indeed are induced and have very little effacement going on naturally. Personally, I'm not one for inducing unless something deems it necessary...

The first time the cervidil started slow and mild contractions and I ended up being put on Pitocin after 12 hours. This last time the Cervidil caused me to go in to full labor ( I was actually in labor when I was admitted.) For me, it wasn't that bad.

I couldn't access the article.

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

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Message edited 1/15/2006 4:17:46 PM.

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

I had 3 doses of Cervidil.

Read my birth story

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

I would only do that IF I was very late or something was medically wrong and I needed to be induced. Unnaturally going into labor can create more complications and your rate of c/s goes up. Not worth the risks IMO, again, unless medically necessary. Your baby might not be ready to be born just yet.

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

I had cervidil, wasnt so bad

Re: Hi Moms...Has anyone had "cervical ripening" prior to giving birth?

One word..."ouch".

My doctor stripped the membranes and I started bleeding. The next two days I lost my mucus plug and then my water broke the 3rd day.