Dear all

In Denmark, midwives have traditionally been sweeping membranes (in late, uncomplicated pregnancies) without consulting the obstetrician before hand, considering it within the area of normal pregnancy and childbirth.

However, the Danish Patient Safety Authority has questioned whether midwifes are actually allowed to do this without consulting an obstetrician before hand.   

Could you please be so helpfull as to provide me with informations about the rules and regulations in your countries. First of all, how are midwives working in your countries? Are they authorized within their own, independent field (in Denmark midwives are authorized to work independently within uncomplicated pregnancy and childbirth)? And are midwives allowed to perform sweeping of membranes without consulting the obstetrician before hand? 

I cannot find any litterature showing (severe) adverse outcomes to membrane sweeping. Further, membrane sweeping might be considered a way to stimulate a natural proces, thereby arguing towards membrane sweeping being within the field of normality. On the other hand, if you consider it as a mean to avoid induction, are you then not bordering the area of interventions, thereby needing the approval from the obstetrician?

Best regards, 

Anne-Mette Schroll

RM, MSc, PhD

The Danish Midwives Association