What are some drawbacks of vaginal exams during labor?
• Vaginal exams are used to asses dialation of the cervix. It carries a risk of infection which is why most caregivers keep them at a minimum, especially after membrane rupture. While knowing you’ve made progress can be comforting sometimes finding yourself dialated less than you thought can be devestating. It also enables labor to be tracked, and if your labor does not fit a curve of generally 1 cm to 1.5 cm per hour it can open the door for more interventions.
