Background: Post-term pregnancy is a high-risk pregnancy. Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of foetal membranes stripping at 40 completed weeks of gestation on the prevalence of late-term pregnancies at the Yaounde Gynaecology-Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital (YGOPH). Materials and Methods: Our study is a prospective hospital-based cohort study, conducted over a period of 06 months from February 2023 to July 2023. Three hundred and eighty-eight pregnant women at 40 completed weeks of gestation were enrolled into two groups with: exposed group (those with foetal membranes stripping) and unexposed group (those without foetal membranes stripping). Stripping of foetal membranes was done just once. Participants were followed-up till delivery or attainment of 41 completed weeks of gestation. Results: Post term delivery was significantly lower in the membrane stripping group compared with the unexposed group (12% vs. 43%; P < 0.001). There was a significantly lower mean-time interval from recruitment to spontaneous labour-onset among the membranes stripping group (2.51 ± 0.98 days) compared with the unexposed group (4.33 ± 1.18; P < 0.001). Onset of spontaneous labour in the exposed group was 171 (88%) compared to the unexposed group that had 111 (57%) (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of premature rupture of membranes and perinatal outcomes Conclusion: Stripping of the foetal membranes appears to be an effective and safe procedure in reducing the incidence of late-term pregnancies and duration of pregnancy at term in low-risk population.
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