If a sweep doesn't kickstart labour for you, you might be offered a second and sometimes even more sweeps ⁴. There is varying evidence about the effectiveness of membrane sweeps, but in general, labour tends to start a few days earlier in women who've had a sweep, compared to those who haven't ⁴.

However, you should always contact your local maternity triage unit if you’re worried, particularly if there's a lot of blood, or you're in severe pain ⁴. You may experience some light spotting and cramping after a sweep these are usually nothing to worry about ⁴. 'A membrane sweep should take less than a minute, and you can tell your midwife or doctor to stop at any point if it’s too uncomfortable.’ 'It’s thought that by separating the sac from the cervix, prostaglandins are released which can initiate early tightenings or contractions. ‘The doctor or midwife inserts one or two fingers into the vagina and, if the cervix is open at least a fingertip’s width, then one finger is inserted through the cervix and is swept around the base of the amniotic sac or 'bag of waters'. I have read and understood Netmums' Privacy Notice and Terms & Conditions Sign up Please tick if you would like to receive news, offers and information from our trusted and carefully selected partners that we think you might like.

Sweep membranes