If you’re new here, you might want to catch up on the Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me? series.

Hello, my name is Amy.  I’m 37+ weeks along with my 4th baby.  I do not know how far dilated I am.  I do not know if I am effaced.  I do not know the station of my baby.  I do not know, because it doesn’t matter!

With much trepidation at my 32 week appointment, I finally gathered the courage to tell my new doctor about my strong aversion to vaginal exams.  It went something like this:

Him: Any questions?

Me: Well, yes.  {said in my best trying-to-be-confident while rambling voice}  I’ve never had a vaginal exam done until I’m well into labor because from all my research I know they are almost always unnecessary and I see no reason to go through the discomfort all for false hope or false discouragement because I’ve known people to walk around at a 4 for a month and other people be completely closed one day and have the baby 12 hours later, and then there’s the risk of infection or inducing labor so you don’t need to do them, right?

Him: {grinning at my obvious discomfort}  Actually, it’s refreshing to not have to convince a patient that vaginal exams are unnecessary.  I don’t do them if you don’t want them done, because vaginal exams provide useless information. There is no need for them in most pregnancies.

Me: {internal happy dance}

I’m a never say never kind of girl, and I know that there are circumstances where a vaginal exam might provide necessary information… maybe you’re way overdue, you’re trying for a v-bac, you think you might be in early labor and you live hours from the hospital, etc. but in the vast majority of normal, healthy pregnancies, vaginal exams are not necessary or helpful.

The Myth of the Vaginal Exam in Pregnancy explains it much better than I do.

…The common belief is that by doing a vaginal exam one can tell that labor will begin soon. This is not the case…

…Many people try to use the information that is gathered from a vaginal exam to predict things like when labor will begin, or if the baby will fit through the pelvis. A vaginal exam simply cannot measure these things…

…Labor is not simply about a cervix that has dilated, softened, or anything else. A woman can be very dilated and not have her baby before her due date or even near her due date. I’ve personally had women who were 6 centimeters dilated for weeks before labor began. Then there is the sad woman who calls me to say that her cervix is high and tight, she’s been told that this baby isn’t coming for awhile, only to be at her side as she gives birth within 24 hours…

…Vaginal exams can increase the risks of infection, even when done carefully and with sterile gloves, etc. It pushes the normal bacteria found in the vagina upwards towards the cervix. There is also increased risk of rupturing the membranes. Some practitioners routinely do what is called stripping the membranes, which separates the bag of waters from the cervix. The thought behind this is that it will stimulate the production of prostaglandins to help labor begin by irritating the cervix, causing it to contract. This has not been shown to be effective for everyone and does have the aforementioned risks…

(click over for the full article)

It’s your body, your baby, your birth. For me, I’m thinking if it’s not helpful… if it’s not necessary… if there are risks… well then, just back away from my cervix!

Are vaginal exams routine with your prenatal care?  Has anyone ever told you they aren’t a must-do?

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