The influence of nipple stimulation at term on the duration of pregnancy

Abstract

The influence of nipple stimulation (NS) at term on the duration of pregnancy was investigated among low-risk gravidas in a randomized prospective study. A significant inverse relationship was found between the duration of pregnancy and both gestational age at recruitment and cervical (Bishop) score, although the influence of cervical score was quantitatively small. Nipple stimulation did not influence either the duration of pregnancy or the probability of having a cesarean section or an instrumental delivery. Patient compliance was, however, poor, which may in part account for these findings, as there was an inverse trend between the daily average duration of NS and the duration of pregnancy.