WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for May, 1998: Re: Cervical scar tissue

Re: Cervical scar tissue

From: Marna (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 19 May 1998 17:54:34 -0700

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Previous message: AMANDA: "Re: Cervical scar tissue"
Maybe in reply to: Cari: "Cervical scar tissue"

This is the definition I found:

Stripping the Membranes

Stripping the membranes is where a health care provider will separate your bag of water from the cervix, it is not intended to break your water, however, it may. It may also cause infection, and may be painful for some.

The reason that we tell people that we are stripping their membranes is to "get things going" in regards to labor. This little technique is usually done during a vaginal exam at the end of pregnancy, with or without the knowledge or consent of the woman.

Stripping the membranes, we are told, is supposed to stimulate production of prostaglandin's in the cervix and bring on contractions. I have heard doctors tell my clients after stripping their membranes they will have the baby in two days. While this may appear to work for some, at term it's all a guessing game. There is no scientific work to date that can back up the routine procedure of stripping membranes.

You may want to ask your care provider to avoid this procedure if you are worried about the effects and risks. Or you may want to avoid vaginal exams during the end of pregnancy for the same reasons, because unfortunately the cannot accurately predict when we will give birth.

So I believe when this lady asked:

> >Is it standard procedure for a doctor to use his fingers and "stretch"
> >the cervix open (3 different times), because the patient has been in
> >labor over fourteen hours and still has not dilated past 3-cm due to
> >"scar tissue" from a cervical laser surgery years earlier, and then use
> >an instrument to break her water.

It's a different procedure all together. Doc and Midwives alike have been known to feel, touch, and stretch the cervix. Sometimes they are able to manipulate the cervix if there is a *lip* left right before a lady is complete and ready to push.

Hope this helps-

-- Marna Engel Doula/SN

"Forgiveness is the fragrance of the violet that clings fast to the heel that crushed it." George Roemisch mailto:baloo@teleport.com

---------- > From: AMANDA <amanda@mmh.hbocvan.com> > To: Multiple recipients of list <womens-health@talk.obgyn.net> > Subject: Re: Cervical scar tissue > Date: Tuesday, May 19, 1998 5:35 PM > > At Tue, 19 May 1998, Cari wrote: > >

> > I will be interested to hear the response from the physicians as I have > never heard of the procedure you are describing. I too have cervical > scarring from the LEEP procedure and when I went into labor 4 months ago > the cervix effaced over a period of 3 weeks but no dilation occurred. My > OB attempted to "strip the membranes" a few times with no progress. > Finally at 41 weeks I was given a med that dilated the cervix, and my > water broke only after a nurse checked my cervix for dilation. > Perhaps this "stripping of the membranes" is the procedure you are > referring to......

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Previous message: AMANDA: "Re: Cervical scar tissue"
Maybe in reply to: Cari: "Cervical scar tissue"

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