How long does primrose oil usually take to ripen the cervix?

How should I take Evening Primrose Oil for pregnancy?

• I'm 37 weeks pregnant today! I am told to start taking Evening Primrose Oil so I don't go overdue. I hear it softens the cervix and prepares you for labor and delivery. I have the capsules that are 500 mg. each. Should I only take one? Should I take it by mouth or vaginally? If I take it both ways (which I hear you can do) do I take one capsule each way at the same time? Just don't want to do anything wrong!

• Answer:

  Take it!!! It worked for me. Well, it's one of those things that is difficult to tell if it worked but it certainly didn't hurt. I did start using it vaginally at 36 weeks and my cervix is really soft and 90% effaced. Take two 500mg capsules and insert them in your vagina as close to your cervix as you can get - it can be hard as the cervix in most women before labor is posterior. Make sure you wear a panty liner or you'll have oil everywhere! lol. I would also take 500mg orally in the morning. At 38 weeks you can increase to 1000mg orally and keep doing the 1000mg vaginally. I asked my doctor first and he said that there is no harm in taking it but there are no proven benefits because there have not been large enough studies evaluating its effectiveness. All they have is anecdotal evidence like mine that it works. He said for it to work your cervix already needs to be softening/effacing and the EPO will help it along. My cervix was softening/effacing. The week I started it I was semi-soft and 50% effaced. The next week after taking it I was checked again and that's when I was very soft and 90% effaced! Good luck!