Hamilton's touch

Hamilton palpation is the manual separation of the sac of membranes from the endometrium, with which the doctor tries to induce the beginning of uterine contractions during an internal examination.

Tactile performance
During the internal examination, the doctor inserts the index finger of one hand as deeply as possible into the cervix. With the other hand, she presses the abdominal wall to herself and, using a circular motion with the index finger of the first hand, encircles the sac of membranes around the perimeter of the internal gate, thus peeling off the sac of membranes from the uterine wall. This should flush out endogenous prostaglandins from the lower uterine segment. Prostaglandins, which by the way are also present in male sperm (= a more natural way of inducing labor!), have an effect on the onset of uterine contractions.

Conditions for performing Hamilton's touch
Hamilton's palpation is only performed at the end of pregnancy, when the woman is already past her due date, or if the woman needs to be helped by inducing labor. The throat must be open, i.e. passable, at least for a finger. Palpation must not be performed if the woman does not meet the conditions for physiological birth. The woman must be informed about the palpation and agree to it.

For

 * Hamilton's touch replaces the artificial induction of labor by pharmaceuticals.
 * Some women don't even feel touch.

Against

 * Touch doesn't always work. A woman's body must be prepared for childbirth.
 * For some women, the touch is very painful.

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