Yeah I know, that's why I've never been tested - my question was actually if that is true - why do health care providers still do the test?
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Yeah I know, that's why I've never been tested - my question was actually if that is true - why do health care providers still do the test?
I wish I could cancel my phi to help fund this hb but its worth too much to us :( our dentist doesn't charge a gap and dh has really weak teeth so the phi pays for itself in dental alone.
Why do they still do the test? Because that's what they were taught 10, 20, 30+ years ago to do. It's routine.
I am feeling conflict about this test. I totally feel safe in not having it due to it not being accurate, but a close friend actually lost her baby to strep and I have that little fear niggling away at me. I guess like all fears I really need to work through it and see what is best for our family, but for now I stand confused about what to do. My waters have never broken before labour and all of my labours have been under 2 hours, so even if I was 'positive' on the day they tested me, drip antibiotics wouldn't even have time to work with my labour history.
I didn;t have it last time, the first two times I did but they were neg... oh some clarity would be appreciated.. or maybe it is trust that i need to re-align with?!?!?!
According to my midwife, the push for GBS testing and treatment was actually initiated by a group of mothers who lost babies or had seriously ill babies after GBS infection. They wanted to do something to prevent that from ever happening unnecessarily. And, apparently the rate of GBS infection in infants has been cut in half with the current policies and practice. However, that doesn't mean it's the best method for going about dealing with GBS IMO.
Different practitioners have different policies on GBS swabbing and treatment. Some will swab every woman, and treat all those who are positive with antibiotics in labour. Some will not swab anyone, but give antibiotics to any woman who is in a "high risk" situation for transferring GBS to her baby - that is, if she's had a previous GBS bladder infection, has laboured for a long time with ruptured waters, or is pre-term. There might be one or two other risk factors as well, but I think that's most of them. I have a couple links my midwife sent me that I can go over and get back to you on. I think, personally, that looking at your own risk factors and making a decision from that is a better course.
I have opted not to test this time and last time. I have never had any of the risk factors, and generally deliver within about 30 min of water breaking. Water birth also reduces the risk of transmission, and I plan to have this baby in the bath. If you end up labouring longer than anticipated with broken water, you can have a chlorhexidine solution ready to use as an internal rinse (warm it first!) when you're labouring. Finally, the risk of GBS transmission in any case is very small, and the number of babies who have serious complications is also very small. Those complications can of course, be very serious, so like everything, it's about the risk/benefit ratio, and the level of risk you feel comfortable with. Antibiotics come with their own complications too, of course. I'm allergic to penicillin, so have to have stuff that takes longer to work, and must be in my system for 4 hr before delivering. (I don't labour that long anymore!) All my babies have had thrush, and I'm not interested in giving them something that will make that worse either! And, in our area, midwives can't give IV antibiotics at home, so that right away eliminates the homebirth for us.
Talk to your midwife about the risk factors for GBS transmission, and where you stand with that, and alternative methods of reducing your risks, and go from there!
Great words Cricket, I am thinking that because I labour so quickly I know that it will all be ok. I guess if my waters break and there is no action for 24hrs we could make a decision then. I am the same re giving babies anything else to deal with, plus the fact that the drip will not have time to work.
My midwife pointed out that they treat every woman as though she may be GBS positive by keeping a very careful eye on the baby for 24-48 hrs, which is a lot easier when you have one-on-one care at home. I took the test with my GP, but only for info. It was negative, but that was three weeks before the birth.:
My sister tested GBS positive at 28 wks with a private ob, was not retested later on and received IV antibiotics in labour. That meant she was told to come in in early labour, then stuck in a room, limited movement, longer labour, epi, eventual c/s. Plus she ended up with thrush, which turned severe and has impacted her bfing for 12 mths.
Needless to say, she thinks the IV abs were a mistake.
That's terrible that your sisters ob didn't test again Jen! All in the medical profession particularly in obstetrics should know the test is only accurate up to 5wks after at most.
I've never been overly passionate about it either way and have only tested twice from my 5 pregnancies. The first was with dd2 and I did the swab myself so wasn't terribly uncomfortable. And I had it done a few weeks ago, I wouldnt have bothered but my Dr asked and seeing as it didn't really bother me either way I allowed it so as not to offend him. It came back neg but I doubt I'd have iv abs even if it had been pos, similarly to LBF my waters have always broken fairly late and I have fast labours so they probably wouldn't have time to get the iv line in let alone ab taking affect lol
I have heard of a woman who waved the swab in the air (rather than on her body), and then tested positive. Put doubt on the whole thing for me.
That's funny. :):
About the length of infection - with my 4th baby, I tested positive at 36 weeks, and my midwife gave me a bunch of natural things to try to eliminate the infection, and said we'd test again at 38 weeks. I did test positive again, and ended up having a hospital birth that time (which went just fine.)
Fast forward to my next baby, and I was discussing that birth with my new midwife. (who drove me crazy!).
She said "why did they let you test again? The infection lasts about 6 weeks."
And I said "Yes, but you don't know where you are in that 6 week stretch when you test."
And she said "It's 6 weeks from when you do the test."
I guess someone tells the GBS bacteria that a test is happening, and they've got to hang around for 6 more weeks..... :rolleyes:
I didn't have a whole lot of confidence in her advice or teaching after that. She did do a good job of delivering my son when he got stuck though.
Cricket what your midwife said is hilarious I cracked up! :rofl: I'm sure it wasn't funny for you at the time and it is a little concerning that she could be so ignorant when clearly she's not uneducated. Dear me.
I've just noticed that, if I end up going over, it's entirely possible I could have this baby in the new year. 42w is January 2nd... Just my luck, I'll go into labour on either Xmas Eve or New Years Eve. It'd be pretty cool to give birth as the world celebrates. But it wouldn't be so cool for bub as s/he grows older. I have a hard enough time with my own birthday being near a minor public holiday, I couldn't imagine being born near the big worldwide ones.
My DH is a New Year's Eve baby. He says the nice thing is no one forgets his birthday, and he always has the day off work. :)
Saw this survey on FB, and it is quite open if you are would like to contribute to student research. The results could be interesting.
http://mothersexperiencesandopinions...limequery.com/
THanks for the replies re the Strep test. I am fairly certain that I will not do it next week. THe IV takes four hours to work, my longest labour from start to finish has been two hours, so it's no use even worrying about it unless my waters break and no action happens by 24 hours.
Teni, that baby is going to keep you guessing right to the very end.... I spent NYE a couple of years ago with a friend in labour, it was an awesome night watching the clock and watching the birth. Also, I know of someone that has a daughter born on XMAS day, they do XMas in the morning. THen in the afternoon someone takes the little girl out for a walk and the whole has gets transformed into birthday, all XMAS decs away! Not sure if they continued that. They also did a birthday in JUly for her.
I have a question about birthpool. We had a trial run last night, the girls loved it. My last midwife had us put salt in the tub, can't recall why, but our new midwife says that is not needed..... so my question to you all (who have had a waterbirth) Did you salt or not salt the water??
we didn't use salt in the pool, but I didn't labour in it for long before bub was born. I remember reading about it, and I think one of the reasons was to reduce pruny skin. You need a fair bit of salt to get the effect.
while talking about birthpools, one thing that I am really thankful that we did was to have the pool blown up and sitting on a blanket in the shed. When labour started, all DH had to do was carry it up to the house and fill it up. If he had to blow it up as well, we wouldn't have made it. ANd it is never too early (In labour) to start filling the pool! You can always drain water and add hot water if needed.
My cousin was born on nye, he loves it as people are always around to party with him!
I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going, I'm almost at the top of the list!!
New thread time :)
You can find it HERE