Cervical checks are a common part of late pregnancy care, often raising questions for expectant parents about their impact. Many wonder if these examinations can prompt labor contractions. Understanding their purpose and typical sensations afterward can help alleviate concerns.
Purpose and Procedure of Cervical Checks
A cervical check involves a healthcare provider performing a manual internal examination. The provider inserts gloved, lubricated fingers into the vagina to reach the cervix, assessing its characteristics and readiness for labor.
The examination assesses several factors: cervical dilation (how open the cervix is), effacement (how thin it has become), consistency (softness), position, and the baby’s station (how far the baby has descended). This information helps healthcare providers assess pregnancy progression, track labor, or inform decisions regarding labor induction.
Understanding Contractions After a Cervical Check
Cervical checks do not typically initiate true labor contractions. However, physical stimulation of the cervix can lead to mild uterine activity. This might manifest as light cramping or an increase in Braxton Hicks contractions, which are practice contractions not leading to cervical change. These sensations are temporary and distinct from true labor.
If true labor contractions begin shortly after a cervical check, it is usually coincidental with the natural progression of labor. A separate procedure, a “membrane sweep,” can be performed during a cervical check. This involves separating the amniotic sac from the uterine wall, releasing prostaglandins that may help initiate contractions and labor.
Distinguishing Normal Sensations from True Labor
After a cervical check, mild sensations are common due to cervical manipulation. These include light cramping, similar to menstrual cramps, which typically subside quickly. Spotting, appearing as pink or brown discharge, is also a normal occurrence from minor irritation to the cervix’s sensitive blood vessels. Some individuals may also feel a temporary increase in pelvic pressure.
These post-check sensations are transient and do not indicate labor onset. True labor contractions follow a distinct pattern: they become increasingly regular, stronger, and longer over time, and do not ease with changes in position or activity. Other signs of true labor include persistent lower back pain, a gush or trickle of clear fluid indicating ruptured membranes, or a bloody show more significant than light spotting.
When to Seek Medical Advice
While mild symptoms after a cervical check are typical, certain signs warrant contacting a healthcare provider. Contact a provider if you experience heavy bleeding (more than light spotting, especially if bright red and similar to a menstrual flow). Severe or persistent pain that does not resolve, or pain that steadily intensifies, requires medical attention.
Contact your provider if you notice regular and intensifying contractions that do not ease, or a sudden gush or continuous leakage of clear fluid, which could indicate your water has broken. Any other concerns that feel abnormal or cause significant worry should prompt a call to your healthcare team.