Cervical Ripening

Question: cervical ripening?? has anyone had this done. im due today and still no baby =( but my doctor schedualed me for cervical ripening on friday......is this painful??

Answer: Did he mention cervadil? It's like... a suppository, so you won't be able to get up for a few hours I'll bet. ;-D Lovely right? Seriously though I just like to let all the pregnant women know that they can deny any treatment. I personally like to wait for a baby rather than rush him with medical treatment. If given the choice, heck I'd down two tablespoons of castor oil and hike up a mountain before I'd even think of being induced. Cervadil may be the first of many medical interferences I'm afraid. Do stick up for yourself if that's what you feel you should do. I hope you have a great birth and i wish you the best with your baby! No, cervadil's not painful. :-) It may bring on labor though, that could be painful. Then again it might not be that bad. Don't let anyone scare you. Peace and Love.

Question: What is your reaction regarding this current trends in cervical ripening and labor induction? http://www.aafp.org/afp/990800ap/477.html

Answer: I think its horrible and is the reason there are lower birth weights and weaker babies. Birth isn't something that should be scheduled! Baby's should come when they are ready not when Dr wants or when Mommy gets impatient. Its unhealthy for baby and mommy and I am 100% against it when there is not medical reason for it..as in danger for Mommy or baby.

Question: What is the process of cervical ripening? I'm 39weeks? I'm going in Thursday night and he's gonna start me off with ripening my cervix. What are they gonna do? he said he wanted to soften my cervix thursday night and then induce me on friday morning. Thanks for the answers. Hopefully with me being at 30% it will go pretty good..

Answer: For me they started off by inserting a tablet into my cervix. They would check it every 4 hrs and insert another. Be prepared because this can take a while before it really progresses. I don't think I felt anything until about 10 hrs. At least you are going in at night and can get some sleep in the meantime! Once your cervix ripens with the tabs, that's when they started the pitocin... or, at least that was my experience. Good luck and congrats!

Question: how does prostaglandin gel used in cervical ripening affect a person c a Hx of asthma or other breathing disor history of asthma or other breathing disorders is a contraindication to protaglandin gels used in cervical ripening. I would like to know why. What affects the asthma, etc

Answer: Oxytocin is the drug of choice. Prior to term, the use of 15 methyl prostaglandin F2-alpha should be avoided because it may cause bronchospasm; use of prostaglandin E2 suppositories or gel has not been reported to cause bronchospasm. Bronchospasm is a difficulty in breathing caused by a sudden constriction of the muscles in the walls of the bronchioles. It is caused by the release (degranulation) of substances from mast cells or basophils under the influence of anaphylatoxins. Hope this helps some!

Question: Has anyone ever gone into labor after cervical ripening with misoprostol (cytotec) ? I was at the hospital this morning and was given 25 mg of misoprostol on my cervix to help ripen my cervix...I am being induced by pitocin in 2 days. I was 1 1/2 cm and 50% effaced this morning before she did it. They sent me home an hour after giving it to me and wasn't checked because I wasnt having any cramping...but now ( 1 1/2 hrs later) I am feeling cramping and mild back pain. Basically what Im asking is...has anyone had cervical ripening done and gone into labor?

Answer: Yes i Have.

Question: can someone explain to me what cervical ripening means?? im due today, still only at 2cm, baby hasnt dropped much..... so my doctor schedualed me for cervical ripening......has nay one had this done.. what does it mean

Answer: When your cervix is "ripe" that means that it is soft and ready and able to start dilating. A firm cervix is not ripe and cannot open. Ripening your cervix is often a first step in the induction process. You can help your cervix ripen at home by having sex. Semen contains prostaglandins that help soften (ripen) your cervix. Happy Birthday!

Question: cervical ripening balloon Tomorrow I am scheduled to have a procedure using a cervical ripening ballon to help dilate my cervix. I've read about what it is but has anyone had this done and is it a painful procedure? Also I am not supposed to eat or drink from midnight to after 5 :30 pm when i do to the hospital. Does anyone have any tips on how to cope; I get very cranky when I'm hungry.

Answer: I had it done 2 weeks ago at my induction. Getting it put in was murder (I was only dilated to 1cm so it was very uncomfortable). Once the balloon is in, they fill it up with fluid and then they attach the end to a weight. Painless once everything is settled, but it'll get uncomfortable as your cervix starts stretching from the pressure. It won't be any more or less uncomfortable than normal contractions. Excrutiating once the balloon passes on out. The process supposedly takes 3-5 hours, but it only took me 45 minutes. It's early on in the induction so they like to keep you off the pain drugs, but you can get them if it's that bad. I was going to get Stadol in my IV towards the end but the balloon came out before they could hook me up. So yeah, getting it put in and the balloon coming out... does not feel good. Maybe it won't be as bad if you're dilated more since they won't have to force and scrape their way in, but I don't know. The balloon coming out happens quick, so at least that pain is short. On the eating, I ate anyway. My obgyn didn't really care, she was sort of don't ask don't tell about it. We started off the day w/ an enema to take care of all that so that's probably why she didn't mind. My breakfast didn't seem to affect anything. If you need to, just eat something small. Trust me, once the induction gets underway, the last thing you'll be thinking of is how hungry you are. Just tell your hubby to ready w/ food when everything is over and you're in recovery w/ your baby because it'll be then that you'll feel the hunger! Anyway good luck w/ the induction!

Question: Vitamin C in excessive amounts to induce cervical ripening? An online pregnancy group I am in we are all at the last 2 weeks of our pregnancies. I just read a post from one of the women stating that her Chiropractor told her to start taking 500mg of Vitamin C every two hours to help ripening and progression of her cervix... This is my 3rd pregnancy and I've NEVER heard of that and wonder how safe over-doing the vitamin C thing is pregnant? I tried googling info about it with no success... Has ANYONE heard of this? Or had success with this? Again I wonder about the safety. Again this is a girl in my group... I posted this to find info someone may have because I could not find any. I am NOT doing this, I am concerned about the girl doing this. I am not trying to force my own labor, I am waiting... So please no irritating comments about hurting me and my baby. Please read the original question in it's context. No more than that.

Answer: I think it's garbage. My reason for that is that some women take mega doses of vitamin C during late pregnancy to make the amniotic sac tougher to prevent leaks. NOBODY has reported early delivery.

Question: evening primrose oil for cervical ripening? Hi, I'm 27 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child. In my last two pregnancy's I went over due and they were both born at 42 weeks. I also had SPD with both of my previous pregnancy's, This time my SPD is so bad that I can hardly walk now at just 27 wks! so goodness knows how I'll be near the end. I really don't wont to go over due as I can't take anymore as it is. A friend told me to insert evening primrose capsules into the cervix from around 37 weeks. Has anyone else done this, and how did it go for you? I will be discussing this with my midwife before I do anything, I just wonted to no if anyone else had done it. Cheers xxx

Answer: Of course I recommend waiting until you are term to do this but I've had great luck with EPO. I took it orally, reason being is because your body absorbs more then doing it vaginally. I took one capsule, 3 times a day. In a week I went from 20 to 80% effaced.

Question: if you go for cervival ripening.....? if you got for cervical ripening.. what exactly do they do? could doingthis put you into labor right away??

Answer: they just dialate the muscles involved. if they have to do this then your body is contracting & will take a day or so to enduce birth but yes, will start labor.