QuestionI'm going in for my 41 week NST today and want to talk intelligently about my options regarding induction. (due date was 6/6/06, calc. by early ultrasound) I have friends who swear by sweeping of the membranes to begin labor. However, I've noticed that although their water breaks within 24 hours of the procedure, they fail to produce progressing contractions and end up being chemically induced anyway (pitocin) which I'd rather avoid if possible. I'm wondering how common this is: if there is any data out there, or even rough anecdotal estimates on how often a membrane sweep is followed by rupture of membranes, followed by pitocin.
Thanks very much for your expertise,
Leslie
AnswerBy sweeping the membranes (if you can, indeed, introduce your finger between the cervx and the membranes) there is a release of prostaglandins. This can start contractions. Sweeping does not cause rupture of membranes. It is a 50/50 cnace of starting labor. You should have started biophysical profiles twice a week at this point. You can safly wait until 42 weeks as long as the NST and BPP remain reactive.. If so, I would bring you into the hospital between 41-42 weeks and insert a prostaglndins suppository into the vagina. After 12 hours, you remove the suppository, wait 1/2 hours, and then start pitocin (the safest form of stimulation). You may go into labor while the supossitory was in place. There is plenty of data on the use of pitocin,prostaglandins suppositories (Cervidil,cytotoxin, etc).
