Antenatal<unk>  (APM) or Birth Canal Widening (BCW) is the massage (painless stretching) of a pregnant woman's perineum - the skin around the opening to the vagina or ('birth canal' - when a baby is in this passage), performed anywhere in the 4 to 6 weeks before childbirth (24 weeks onwards, just in case baby is born at 28 weeks) and usually on 6 separate occasions. The practice aims to gently mimic the 'massaging' action of a baby's head on the opening to the birth canal prior to birth, without using the baby's head, doing some of the hard work of labour (birth) before the start of labour, making birth less stressful on baby. The intention is also to attempt to prevent tearing of the perineum during birth, in this way reduce the need for an episiotomy or an instrument (forceps or vacuum extraction) delivery. The traditional method of aiding birth by gradual painless stretching over time (skin tissue expansion)
Perineal massage
Pelvic massage
Contraceptive patch
Vaginal dilator
Hymenorrhaphy
Menstrual extraction
Antiseptic douche
Hymenotomy