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Are vaginal exams mandatory towards the end of pregnancy?
Well, maybe not "mandatory" but highly recommended? I'm not sure I see the point since you can be dilated for weeks before you go into labor and honestly I find them quite painful (I know labor's going to be much worse of course - this will be my second child).
Is there any good reason to be checking every week after 37 weeks? I've had no concerns, and no change in vaginal discharge so I don't expect I'm going into labor any time soon. If there's a good medical reason to check I'm all for it, but if not - can you just ask they skip it? My regular OB is out of town this week so I'll be with a new doctor I've never met too, so just another reason I'd rather skip it if not necessary.
Sally - there's plenty of good reasons to keep the appointment itself as there's more to the appointment than just the vaginal exam. For example, I developed Pre-eclampsia with my first which can be a life-threatening condition - found through routine checking of my urine and blood pressure. Cancelling a regular OB appointment is downright idiotic; I was asking only about the vaginal examination portion of which no one has explained if there is any good reason to do when you're already full-term.
3 Answers
- MommaLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
There really isn't any truly good medical reason to having internal exams. It's more frustrating than anything for most women in my opinion. If there's something of concern then by all means it should be done, but if everything is a-okay and you don't want it done don't have it done. My cousin was checked at her 40 week appointment and was completely closed and very firm cervix - she gave birth the next day. My friend was 4 cms for 5 weeks before she delivered at 43 weeks and had to be induced. By all means, unless there is a medical reason feel free to skip it. Good luck.
Source(s): 40w2d Pregnant with Savanna Carolynn due June 9, 2011 <3 - jlbLv 71 decade ago
The only reason OBs do cervical checks are to make their patients feel like they are "doing" something. There really is no good reason to do them, and they can introduce bacteria into the vagina.
I've had 2 pregnancies with 2 different OBs and both were fine with me declining exams.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
just call and cancel its not like its gonna kill you and they arnt your boss ppl cancel appointments all the time
