there is no openings to be induced this comming weekend so im getting my membranes stripped as a loop hole to being induced but my question is what do they do??

During a vaginal exam, the doctor uses a gloved finger to separate the membranes of the amniotic sac away from the edges of the cervix. This should not break the amniotic sac or "bag of waters," although occasionally breakage can occur. The purpose of striping is to get the body ready for labor. There is no way to tell how soon labor may begin following stripping, and the procedure is sometimes repeated.  During the procedure prostaglandins may be released, and they aid in "ripening" the cervix.

 

Here is some more on this topic:

 

 

“Stripping the membranes is where a health care provider will separate your bag of water from the cervix, it is not intended to break your water, however, it may. It may also cause infection, and may be painful for some.

The reason that we tell people that we are stripping their membranes is to "get things going" in regards to labor. This little technique is usually done during a vaginal exam at the end of pregnancy, with or without the knowledge or consent of the woman.

Stripping the membranes, we are told, is supposed to stimulate production of prostiglandins in the cervix and bring on contractions. I have heard doctors tell my clients after stripping their membranes they will have the baby in two days. While this may appear to work for some, at term it's all a guessing game. There is no scientific work to date that can back up the routine procedure of stripping membranes.

You may want to ask your care provider to avoid this procedure if you are worried about the effects and risks. Or you may want to avoid vaginal exams during the end of pregnancy for the same reasons, because unfortunately the cannot accurately predict when we will give birth.”

(from http://www.childbirth.org/articles/strip.html)

  

What is Stripping Membranes? 

"Stripping the amniotic membrane away from the cervix to bring on labor. Labor is a very complicated cooperation of many factors--fetal, maternal, hormonal, and mechanical. One thing alone won't necessarily push a woman into labor, including "stripping membranes." What your docdtor is talking about is essentially just an aggressive pelvic exam in which he will feel around just inside your cervix where the membranes ("bag of water") are attached to its rim. By running an examining finger around the inside of your cervix, he can separate the amniotic sac from where it's stuck there. Theoretically, this will allow the bridging molecules that stick the membranes to the inside rim of the cervix to break--all at a molecular level, mind you--and so be released and then converted into prostaglandins, which are powerful stimulants of labor. "

 From:      http://www.childbirth.org/articles/strip.html

 

 

well hopefully he accidentally breaks my water! haha! because this weekend is the one i was supposed to get induced on! thank u for telling me!!

Just to let you kno if u haven done it yet. It is not painful. Its unconfortable for maybe a half second thats it. You cant feel anything once the dr is done. you'll feel normal. When i had mine done i lost my mucus plug the next day an the next day i was in labor =] good luck.