VAGINAL EXAM: how do they check your cervix for dilation

[@birthtoolbox]

Did you know that you don't have to wear the hospital gown in labor? My favorite gown is the Bravely Gown and it's beautiful and practical too birthtoolbox.com/cutehospitalgown (affiliate link)

[@blaqmermaiid]

I went in for a membrane sweep because i was approaching 41 wks pregnant and had no signs of labor. They had to check for cervix softening with a vag exam which HURT cuz my cervix was still high up. However during labor induction they did it several times and there was little communication before and after the exam to tell me how i was progressing ( i was at 2cm for nearly 8hrs and they burst my water bag very early and realized my baby passed stool). They had a student perform an exam on me without fully explaining what she was about to do and that was DOUBLY painful and they kept apologizing through it all but also kept continuing. Only after my whole ordeal did i realize i what my rights were and most of the procedures were unecessary. I ended up having a c section.

[@birthtoolbox]

Thank you for sharing your experience Cherise. I’m so sorry that you had to endure those unnecessary and painful exams. Sending you a hug.

[@cherrypie7861]

Same! I had residents caring for me (supervised by an attending obviously) but they were rough and super ineffective. It hurt way worse than almost everything is else I experienced! And I just learned pain and discomfort can actually hurt your chances of your cervix relaxing and loosening up. A nurse broke my water after the residents failed and I never got past 6 cm despite being maxed out on miso and pitocin. So they ended up having to do a c section. I was super disappointed 😔

[@LOVEnLIGHTWORKer]

I am with the commenter in the grounds of fingering shouldn’t be allowed anymore and isnt acceptable!!! If I am correct any foreign object including fingers being inserted in a woman to check her dilation while she is dialated even 1 cm exposes her the infant to INFECTION and everytime that exposure to infection increases I’m pretty sure I’ve read somewhere that they are aware of this fact and try not to check cervix more then 3 times towards the end and if you’re dialated they are not supposed to keep checking they’re supposed to wait for other cues of progression like talking while breathing or the lack of being able to speak during contractions means you’re closer to the end of delivering!!! I don’t know or understand how the western world has more infant and mother mortality rates then any other country combined and we have all the tech tools and here we are still acting like dinosaurs for checking the cervix but when it comes to delivering a baby in a hospital they want to load a woman on drugs immediately pitocin and then epidural so they can’t even feel the need to push and the nurses have to tell them what to do and sometimes they can’t push cus they have no idea how to feel themselves push then it ends in high blood pressure to babies and or mom and it’s an emergency c section you know how many people I know personally That this has happened to??? It’s beyond sad and disgusting that they still do this like common practice even when theirs been many deaths of infants and or mother or both!!! I know a woman who lost her life and I know a few people who lost their babies because of western medicine and the pitocin epidural and that’s really the only difference between the west and other locations in the world they’re not as invasive with their drugs and tools to be in control of births literal doctors playing god deciding when and how babies will be born to mothers!!! It’s not ok!!! Please ladies let your body do what it was designed and created for YOU ARE FIERCELY AND WONDERFULLY MADE TO HAVE BABIES!!!! PERFECT VESSEL TO CARRY AND BRING FORTH LIFE!!!! YOU DONT NEED ANY ONE ELSE BUT THE MOST HIGH!!!! Shalom 🕊💖✨👑💛✨

[@birthtoolbox]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your passion!

[@ainashburn]

Why can’t they use transvaginal scan instead of fingers?

[@birthtoolbox]

My guess is that it's more expensive and you need to have availability of the ultrasound at every bedside which doesn't seem practical. Also, knowing the exact dilation isn't really necessary. You have to be fully dilated before pushing and if you aren't there yet, it doesn't really matter if you are 4.5 cm dilated or 4 cm dilated. You aren't fully dilated and still have more progress to make in labor.

[@danawoolardclarke4955]

Hi! I’m 36 weeks and pregnant for the first time and will be checked on Tuesday. Will the discomfort be similar to a papsmear? I’ve had a Mirena inserted before as well so I’m just trying to prepare myself if it feels like the Mirena because that was AWFUL Lol!!

[@birthtoolbox]

The level of discomfort can depend on the position of your cervix. When the cervix is still posterior it can be hard to reach and painful. You do have the option to decline the cervical check. At 36 weeks the cervical exam doesn’t really tell us anything helpful. Many doctors have stopped offering them.

[@southernbelle850]

I just had mine today at 36 weeks.. I found it more uncomfortable than a papsmear.. luckily my doctor was pretty quick but it was intense for that little bit of time.. I would guess If you had a doctor that was taking a while and rummaging around it would be terrible.. I had a endometrial biopsy last year and that rocked my world.. no medication etc and they had warned me it was like cramping and it was NOT! Only time in my life I had to ask the doctor to stop. This was not on same scale of pain but definitely not great.. but I’m also having extreme pressure even before he went in 😭

[@muhammadsalman1308]

Doctor, if opening is not increasing then 3-4 cm on 38 w + 1 day. Also experiencing labour pain while admitted in hospital, then what should be done?

[@birthtoolbox]

Hello, I'm a childbirth educator and doula (not a doctor). I am sorry that I don't understand your question. If you have pain, you should contact your doctor.

[@tanyalancasterbeisert8244]

Interesting tips!

[@birthtoolbox]

Glad you think so!

[@jenniferchapa6386]

I've been 50%, 1cm dilated for my first and second VE but was told cervix is thinning, should I be worried about not dilating?

[@birthtoolbox]

Absolutely normal!!!! No need to worry at all.

[@jenniferchapa6386]

@@birthtoolbox Thanks for your reply! 😊 I'm learning alot from your videos, my EDD is Nov 11th 😬🥴

[@birthtoolbox]

@@jenniferchapa6386 so glad the videos are helpful!

[@shelbiee-97]

My midwife won’t do cervix checks until 39 weeks but there is a couple things that they are keeping an eye on so would this be something they may do early ? The concern is my amniotic fluid is on the lower end of normal. Also I’ve been having cramping but I don’t know if it’s doing anything at all

[@birthtoolbox]

Best of luck Shelbie!

[@RedCityKitchen]

It's normal to have no signs of labor before labor starts. Acog story's 42+6. Risk do raise but are still super low. Not every woman in the world is supposed to birth before 42 weeks. Vaginal checks are no indication of when labor will start or how long it'll last. 😊

[@mayracreer5401]

How many times you will get bleed after cervix exam?

[@birthtoolbox]

It is different for everyone.

[@nahalymtl9445]

Question from a patient: why can't an endoscopy be used to assess cervical dilatation, can't an image just be taken (less invasive and more precise)? or any other tool (ultrasound, optical imagery) less invasive and less painful, with all the devices you have today. Please, I will really appreciate not to be fingered! We can send a man on the moon since the 60s, and Hubble can take a picture of most remote planets but in 2020 they still can't take a picture of that inner ring of mine.

[@khaipukhongsai3687]

Hello doctor i like to ask some question that my wife cervix not shown or turn up during ovulation we r together around 5yrs but could not have a baby can u please help us

[@birthtoolbox]

I’m sorry. This is not something I can help with.

[@khaipukhongsai3687]

@@birthtoolbox anyway thanks

[@juliamolsberry9335]

Are the 2 fingers inserted horizontally (side by side) or vertically (one on top of the other)?

[@birthtoolbox]

I think that depends on the provider.

[@marvuitton]

So they just stick they fingers not the whole hand?😬

[@birthtoolbox]

Yes, fingers are used to feel the cervix.

[@mzperlz]

My ob stuck her whole Danm hand in

[@brandiewagner4332]

Same!! But it was a RN that did mine to see if I was dialting after getting pitocin

[@gamer_mama7392]

The nurse did same with my daughter. Whole hand while she was having a contraction.

[@aaalyaaap]

@@mzperlzmy friend just gave birth and can’t stop thinking abt how her doctor shoved her whole hand in there… I came to this video to double check if it should be just fingers or a whole hand. I always thought it was just fingers. My friend was induced so maybe that’s why? Maybe that was actually a membrane sweep? I have no idea…

[@farjanayesmin8313]

Is it normal bleeding after virginal exam?

[@birthtoolbox]

When you get a vaginal exam during pregnancy to check your cervix some people have a small amount of bleeding after.

[@crystaldelisle7507]

Does it hurt when they do this?

[@birthtoolbox]

Yes, it can. It is more likely to hurt when you get an exam before labor begins (like 36 weeks).

[@idkbutimsleepy]

Yes! I just had this done today for the first time and it was uncomfortable and painful! 🙃

[@mzperlz]

Yesssss

[@janaee6097]

very uncomfortable. made me cramp badly

[@tyriexs5]

Not really I’ve had 5 babies. Pressure but not pain for me.

[@RedCityKitchen]

Skip those medically unnecessary vaginal checks.

[@birthtoolbox]

I agree!!

[@birthtoolbox]

What are you questions about vaginal exams? Please enter them below.

[@lisemartino1854]

Please explain that people can say no, that there alternatives - such as fundal height, purple line etc.

[@birthtoolbox]

@@lisemartino1854 Yes! I mentioned a few times that vaginal exams are optional and they can talk it over with their provider. It is also included in the description. Regarding the purple line, fundal height etc, I haven't seen (or heard of) those being used in a hospital setting. Are you seeing this in your practice?

[@summer-rosemaree51]

How am I meant to check my cervix for dilation if my cervix is up high?

[@juliabaida5432]

Ugh I do not wanting anybody doing that especially not a female an a doctor need to put on gloves

[@birthtoolbox]

Gloves are required

[@nahalymtl9445]

Question from a patient: why can't an endoscopy be used to assess cervical dilatation, can't an image just be taken (less invasive and more precise)? or any other tool (ultrasound, optical imagery) less invasive and less painful, with all the devices you have today. Please, I will really appreciate not to be fingered! We can send a man on the moon since the 60s, and Hubble can take a picture of most remote planets but in 2020 they still can't take a picture of that inner ring of mine.

[@tanyalancasterbeisert8244]

Interesting tips!

[@birthtoolbox]

Glad you like them!

[@nahalymtl9445]

Question from a patient: why can't an endoscopy be used to assess cervical dilatation, can't an image just be taken (less invasive and more precise)? or any other tool (ultrasound, optical imagery) less invasive and less painful, with all the devices you have today. Please, I will really appreciate not to be fingered! We can send a man on the moon since the 60s, and Hubble can take a picture of most remote planets but in 2020 they still can't take a picture of that inner ring of mine.

[@tanyalancasterbeisert8244]

Interesting tips!

[@birthtoolbox]

Thanks for watching!

[@nahalymtl9445]

Question from a patient: why can't an endoscopy be used to assess cervical dilatation, can't an image just be taken (less invasive and more precise)? or any other tool (ultrasound, optical imagery) less invasive and less painful, with all the devices you have today. Please, I will really appreciate not to be fingered! We can send a man on the moon since the 60s, and Hubble can take a picture of most remote planets but in 2020 they still can't take a picture of that inner ring of mine.

[@syedzafferullah]

May be because it is cheaper, easier and quicker to do it with fingers rather than using the special equipment which generally requires the presence of another specialized person.

[@nahalymtl9445]

@@syedzafferullah Well I think we deserve the time and care, this is really an area where cheaper is not acceptable... Gents, make your savings elsewhere... and be gentle with us...

[@syedzafferullah]

I am all for better health care for all and especially pregnant women, I hope the ones making these decisions take note of it. I was just trying to explain what might be the rationale behind the exam using fingers. What I have seen here in Canada is the doctor didn't get an ultrasound scan for us even though we were requesting it to be sure that the baby is doing well and safe. She said no issues everything is normal no need for a scan just by doing her physical exam.

[@nahalymtl9445]

@@syedzafferullah thank you. apreciated.