Sweeping of the membranes is an effective method of induction of labour in prolonged pregnancy: a report of a randomized trial

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether sweeping of the membranes is an effective method of induction of labour in women with prolonged pregnancy.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: A district maternity hospital.

Subjects: 65 women attending an antenatal clinic; 33 randomized to sweeping of the membranes and 32 to a control group.

Main outcome measure: Proportion of women achieving spontaneous labour.

Results: Spontaneous labour occurred more often in the sweeping of the membranes group than in the control group (25/33 (76%) vs 12/32 (38%); odds ratio (OR) 4.65; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75 to 12.31; P = 0.002). In addition a greater proportion of women in the sweeping group had a cervical dilatation of 4 cm or more at the first vaginal examination in the labour ward (16/33 (49%) vs 5/32 (16%); OR 4.39; 95% CI 1.56 to 12.32; P = 0.005). There were fewer maternal infections in the sweeping group (0/33 vs 4/32 (12%); OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.88; P = 0.04). There were no differences in the type of analgesia used in labour, the mode of delivery or neonatal outcome.

Conclusions: Sweeping of the membranes is an effective method of induction of labour in women with prolonged pregnancy.