9.3K views · 28 reactions | Learn about the amazing work midwives do and how they enrich patients' experiences everyday. Explore the opportunities available at Marshfield Clinic here: marshfieldclinic.org/careers | Discover Wisconsin | Facebook

What’s your experience with cervical checks and vaginal exams in labor? They can be an intrusive intervention to mom’s normal hormonal cascade that helps labor flow smoothly, and are massively overdone in today’s birth world. Each vaginal exam increases the risk of infection to mother and baby, especially if waters are broken. Anne Frye in her textbook, Vol. II, Labor & Birth, notes, “…used prudently, internal exams can be a valuable assessment, but should only be done when all other means of ev