SWEEPING OF THE MEMBRANES TO INDUCE LABOUR AND TO PREVENT POST-TERM • .. PREGNANCY

Abstract

Objective : to evaluate the effectiveness of sweeping of the membranes to induce labor and to prevent post-term pregnancy. Design :A prospective randomized controlled study. Setting : At Benha University Hospital and Port-Fouad General Hospital. Subjects :50 primigravidae women with gestational age (G.A.) between 41-42 weeks attending an antenatal clinic. Method : women were randomly allocated to daily membranes sweeping (25 women) or daily vaginal examination for Bishop's scoring only (25 women) for 4 days study period. Main outcome measure : proportion of women achieving spontaneous labor within 4 days. Results : spontaneous labor occurred more otlen in the sweeping group than in the control group [(20/25 (80%) VS 7125 (28%)], a statistically significant ditTerence (P<O.OS). There was also a statistically signilicant difference in the Bishop score at onset of labor (8.48 ± 1.3 in the sweeping group VS 6.2 ± 1.7 in the control group). There were no signilicant ditTerences in the type of analgesia used in labor, the mode of delivery or neonatal outcome. Conclusion :sweeping of the membranes is an etTective method of labor induction and prevention of post-term pregnancy.