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Membrane Sweep
Towards the end of your pregnancy your midwife or obstetrician may offer you a membrane sweep, please click the below link for more information on membrane sweeps.
When you reach 41 weeks pregnant
When you reach 41 weeks pregnant your choices as to how you wish to move forward with your pregnancy are the same as highlighted previously. Even if you have had a healthy, trouble-free pregnancy, you will be offered an induction of labour after 41 weeks.
Why do you offer induction of Labour after 41 weeks in Grampian?
Sadly, very occasionally, babies can die during pregnancy, birth or shortly after. Whilst the risk of this happening is very low in a healthy pregnancy, some research has shown that pregnancies induced at 41 weeks are slightly less likely to experience stillbirth compared to those who continue their pregnancy.
For those who wish to continue with their pregnancy and wait for labour to start naturally it is a good idea to discuss this plan with your midwife and /or doctor. You will be offered the option of some additional monitoring for you and your baby. This might be in the form of appointments for an ultrasound scan to check the placenta and/or monitoring of your baby’s using a Cardiotocograph (CTG) machine which measures you baby’s heart rate. How often we recommend you come for these checks will depend on the reasons why induction was offered. It is your choice what you wish/ do not wish to accept. However, it is important for you to know that this cannot identify all pregnancies which will be affected by stillbirth or death in the newborn period.
For more information regarding your choices at 41 weeks pregnant and the possible risks and benefits of both induction of labour and continuing your pregnancy please refer to the NHS Choices leaflet by clicking the link below.