# Self checking cervix, is it safe?



## melanija (Dec 5, 2006)

I am doing VE, because I want to know my body and I love that I can feel the baby's head. Now, I read that VE aren't safe, because of the risk of infection. Now my question is, why is it so? I get it if the bag of waters are broken, but if they aren't? I read that anything you put inside your vagina, it can cause an infection, so you shouldn't do it more than neccessary. So, this could mean that we should limit our sex life too, KWIM?
Now, I get it that VE don't tell us much about when we'll go in labor and such, so from this point I get it why VE aren't recommended. But other than that, am I doing something terribly wrong with checking my cervix?


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

I wasn't aware that self-checks with washed hands were a problem?


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## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

If you're washing your hands well prior to the check, I don't see a real problem with it. The bigger issue is that the HCP is working in a clinical or hospital setting, completely foreign to you, with foreign germs and therefore the risks are higher. Despite that, most HCPs do routine cervical checks weekly at the end of pregnancy, just for fun (apparently), or to be able to "do" something. They don't seem to worry much about the risk of infection.

I did a couple self VEs late in pregnancy out of curiosity on myself and once or twice during labor. As long as you have clean hands, and of course your water hasn't broken, I don't really see a problem with it.

After all, we still have sex with our partners if we feel like it, don't we?


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## SublimeBirthGirl (Sep 9, 2005)

There is also the fact that, if you ever have had an exam by an outsider or seen one, the HCP doing the exam is rougher than you would be with yourself. A self-exam is unlikely to be rough to the point of causing pain, while exams by others are often that rough. So it's less likely to be really stirring things up, risking breaking your water, etc.


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## MyBoysBlue (Apr 27, 2007)

I think there is a big difference in doing them yourself and having a HCP do them. It's the germ thing like PP mentioned. I did them too just for fun. I did notice a dialation difference the day before I gave birth but I would have guessed only 2-3 cm. So I didn't think at the time that it meant anything.


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## melanija (Dec 5, 2006)

Thank you all!!! That's exactly what I think about VE too. I just got a bit scared after I found some "don't do it" information even on the sites that promote natural birth.


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## danotoyou2 (Jan 19, 2007)

I did VEs about once a week throughout the pregnancy, and more like every other day once I hit 40 weeks.

The risk of infection comes into play if you don't wash your hands, or continue to exam after the waters have broken.

I didn't do any checks after labor started, just because it was icky.







But since my water didn't break until I was pushing, and I had plenty of time, it would have been okay.

Some people go with a very strict "hands off" approach, and forbid anything in the vagina. Their idea is that *knowing* the state of your cervix isn't going to make things any different, and by messing around in there you can cause problems (being too rough, putting unclean things in, etc), so it isn't worth it.

For me, having bouts of contractions from 20 weeks onward, it was reassuring. I was not about to go into a hospital, and my midwife lived 3 hours away, so I couldn't just go in and have things checked. So, I checked myself. It was also nice to know how it should feel, so that I could notice any changes.


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## vegemamato (Jul 4, 2007)

I feel around 3x per month or so when I'm in the shower. I've had bh since about 20 weeks with a little bit of dialation (maybe a cm) and I feel better if I check after a bout of contactions. I wouldn't let anyone else do a ve though and I keep it very short (making sure not to 'force' my open cervix at all). So, I don't think there is an increased risk as long as precautions are taken (cleanliness, familiar environment, being gentle, not checking once the waters have broken).


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## JavaFinch (May 26, 2002)

I've been paranoid about incompetent cervix for a couple reasons - anyway, I feel so much better after checking my cervix - even if that isn't telling me any more than that I'm not dialated at all - at least I know I'm not sitting here dialated to 3 with no symptoms and my bag of waters bulging at 20 weeks pg (I worry a lot)









Anyway, most mainstream pg boards would say NONONONONONO don't check your cervix! You will get an INFECTION or do unknown damage. I just do not even get that line of thinking. Is a penis touching my cervix as gently as my middle finger LIGHTLY touches my cervix? Is the penis freshly washed in HOT, soapy water? Probably not. Is the penis just touching for 5 seconds to check or is it possibly pounding into the cervix for many minutes (depending on sexual position)?

I figure as long as it's ok for a penis to enter my vagina and touch my cervix, my middle finger is also fine


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## UrbanCrunchyMama (Aug 7, 2007)

I had this same question run through my head last night...

...because I never had a vaginal exam at anytime throughout my pregnancy or labor.

(My labor was extremely fast for a first-timer and) I wonder if I was one of those women who walks around with her kid practically dangling between her legs or one who just dilates quickly.

The next time around, I may just do a VE check myself.

Thanks for asking and replying.
Lydia


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## melanija (Dec 5, 2006)

Thank you all for your replies!! I am relieved, I guess I was worrying for nothing. But it didn't make sense to me at all, why having sex would be ok, but checking with my fingers wouldn't. JavaFinch, said it exactly the way I was thinking about it.








Lydia, it might very well be that you were pretty far dilated before you entered your active labor.


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

Can I ask a really stupid question here? HOW are you reaching? I'm only at 31 weeks, tried to check my cervix and was several miles out. Is there some magic technique I'm missing?


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## etoilech (Mar 25, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *flapjack* 
Can I ask a really stupid question here? HOW are you reaching? I'm only at 31 weeks, tried to check my cervix and was several miles out. Is there some magic technique I'm missing?

Need longer fingers?







I was the same way when pregnant with my daughter. I couldn't reach.

As the cervix prepares for birth it has to swing around from back to front... I think mine stayed swung back for quite a while or I've just got short fingers.


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## Mamabeakley (Jul 9, 2004)

Um . . . I continued to check my cervix ALL THE TIME throughout my second labor, even though my water was broken and I knew I was GBS+. It was part of how I handled labor. I knew I "shouldn't" but in the moment, I felt the need to have some objective measure of how things were going, it was reassuring to feel my baby's head, and in fact, I was able to figure out that I was swelling and had a lip and then make clearer choices about how to handle that than I would have with a strict NONONO rule.

No damage was done. I probably wouldn't recommend it to someone w/a ruptured BOW, but in labor you do what you gotta do, and that's what I hadta do.


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## StrawHatBrat (Jan 5, 2005)

I can't even find my cervix!! I tried.

And I agree... a penis is dirtier and even brutal compared to a gentle self check.


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## melanija (Dec 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *flapjack* 
Can I ask a really stupid question here? HOW are you reaching? I'm only at 31 weeks, tried to check my cervix and was several miles out. Is there some magic technique I'm missing?

Not stupid at all. I can reach it when I squat or when I lift my leg on a toilet or bathtub. You can also try to bear down a bit, sometimes it helps.


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