06/04/2026
Something that really grinds my gears is the lack of discussion around sweeps and that it’s not “just a sweep”…
Below is a screenshot from NICE guidance… Methods for induction of labour 🫠
When I qualified 10 years ago you would rarely offer a sweep… If you were giving someone a membrane sweep before 41 weeks you’d need a really good reason to justify this, and anything before 40 weeks needed a consultant obstetrician “sign off” to do so…
Now the guidelines state they can be offered from 39 weeks, and I’ve known of many women being offered before this point with little reasoning.
Hospitals are publishing stats showing their “spontaneous” birth rates, but not including how many women have had sweeps… So I wonder how many women are ACTUALLY getting a truly spontaneous labour and birth.
In my opinion, based on what I’ve seen in practice, sweeps rarely work and often cause more issues than benefits… 24 hours of niggly tightenings that lead to a lack of sleep and false hope, amongst many other things.
In the right context and right reasoning, sweeps can occasionally be beneficial. But this is a decision that needs to be made after an individualised discussion, and not just because you’ve reached 39 weeks.
Interestingly, I’ve not performed a single membrane sweep since being an independent midwife…
What’s your experience of membrane sweeps? Tell me below! 👇
