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Effectiveness of Serial Membrane Sweeping and Stretching at Term for the Induction of Labour

Year: 2026

Type: article

Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of serial sweeping and stretching of the membrane at term for the induction of labour in low-risk pregnancies. METHODS: This randomized controlled study was conducted over 18 months at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital, from July 2023 to December 2024, and included 226 term pregnant women randomized into two groups: intervention (serial membrane sweeping) and control (no intervention). All women were followed for the onset of labour, need for formal induction, and mode of delivery. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23 (Released 2016; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The intervention group demonstrated a significantly lower induction rate (29.2%) compared to the control (69.0%) (p < 0.001). Serial membrane sweeping was associated with a higher Bishop's score at the second visit (6.58 vs. 4.63; p < 0.001) and shorter onset of labour (21.48 hours vs. 24.29 hours; p < 0.001). Correlation analysis revealed that higher Bishop scores and shorter cervical length significantly predicted earlier labour onset. CONCLUSION: Serial sweeping and stretching of membranes significantly reduced the need for formal induction and promoted earlier onset of labour, particularly in multigravida patients. The procedure is effective and safe in low-risk term pregnancies.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.101898