Strippen

Stripping is a way to make the delivery happen a little earlier. From 41 weeks of pregnancy, the midwife will offer you to strip. It has been proven that stripping in the 41st week reduces the chance that you will become 42 weeks pregnant. On average, stripping means you give birth 1 day earlier than usual. This can make the difference between giving birth with your obstetrician or with the gynecologist. From 42 weeks you always must give birth at the gynecologist, we call this serotinity.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

An internal examination is performed during a stripping attempt. The midwife then feels with 2 fingers in the vagina whether and to what extent the cervix has already opened. This is usually the case in the 41st week, but not always. If the cervix is still closed, it is not possible to strip.

When the cervix is open, the midwife will reach your baby's head with her fingers. She can now feel the membranes. After this, she runs a few circles over the baby's head with her fingers, loosening the membranes from the edge of the uterus. This releases hormones that can give the push to start labor.

DOES IT HURT?

Whether the stripping is painful depends on a number of factors. Is the cervix still far back or has it come a bit forward? Is the cervix easily accessible or just open? Every woman also has a different sensitivity of the vagina. Most women indicate that they find stripping sensitive, but not really painful. In any case, you can rest assured that if it hurts you too much, we'll stop stripping!

ARE THERE RISKS?

There are no risks associated with stripping. It is possible that some harmless blood loss occurs due to the stripping. This has to do with the fact that the cervix is very well perfused during pregnancy and a blood vessel easily bursts when touched. This blood loss is only temporary and will stop on its own. It is also possible that you will have contractions from the stripping, but that the delivery will not continue.

CONDITIONS

Before you can be stripped, the obstetrician that will perform the procedure always calls the obstetrician on duty. If the stripping attempt is successful, we expect you to give birth in the foreseeable future. If 2 or 3 deliveries are already underway, we prefer to postpone the stripping attempt until things have calmed down a bit, so that we can take the time for your delivery.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

Making a strip attempt is a choice. You decide whether or not you want to be stripped. Stripping is done during office hours. It's helpful if you take someone with you, to hold your hand if it's painful, and to drive you home if you get some contraction activity right away. Sanitary pads are available at PUUR, so you do not need to bring them.