how to ripen the cervix
Various methods of natural and non-medical ways to ripen the cervix and induce labor include: Relaxationâ Use relaxation techniques taught in any childbirth class. Use visual imagery of labor beginning. The most important thing to do is to find a way to relieve tension. Tension works against labor.
They recommend the use of PGE2 vaginally or inside the cervix in the form of a gel. The use of prostaglandins is safer to ripen the cervix than the use of pitocin alone to start labor on an unripe cervix, although they can all increase the pain during contractions.
Sexâ Sex as a means of getting labor started is thought to work in three ways: first, orgasm may help to stimulate the uterus into action. Secondly, sex can trigger the release of oxytocin, and third, semen contains a high concentration of prostaglandins which may help to ripen or soften the cervix.
First of all it is hard to determine if a cervix is ripe or not. Different people observing can have very different opinions on the ripeness of a same cervix. There is the Bishop system for evaluating the cervix, but even this one isnât very accurate.