GBS swab - what's the policy where you live?

[Cricket]

Just wondering what the policy for group B strep swabs is where you are. I've heard that in some places, they only swab high-risk women, in some places they treat high-risk women, without swabbing, in some places, they offer to swab and let you choose what you want, and in some places, they swab everyone, whether they like it or not.
And, if you have a positive result, what are your options?
The reason I'm asking is just to get a better understanding of how this is handled in other places. From what I gather, about 30% of the population will have a positive result at any given time, and here, that means you'll be given IV antibiotics in labour. That seems like an awful lot of women being "forced" to have IV antibiotics, to combat a relatively small risk. Is this the way it happens by you?

[Arimeh]

I've never had it done or mentioned that I needed it at my hospital. Maybe its a hospital by hospital policy?

[Olive]

i was offered it this time and was advised by my middy not to have it, i also had no intention of having it, she knew i wanted and intervention free birth! i did the test first time with DD1 and it was neg.

[Jellyfish]

I've never had it done or mentioned that I needed it at my hospital. Maybe its a hospital by hospital policy?

Piggy back... this has been my experience as well.

[HotI]

Could also be differences between health care providers, those that see value in the test are more likely to offer it to more of the women they see.

[~Raven~]

I've never had it done or mentioned that I needed it at my hospital. Maybe its a hospital by hospital policy?

Neither was I for any of my bubbas!

[Cricket]

Hmmm.... I was sorely tempted to just pass on it this time, and now I really wish I had, because it was positive, which means no homebirth, unless I can get a negative result this week. (please! Trying probiotics and garlic, thanks to Alan's suggestions.) My midwives gave me a free choice, but when I've had a regular doctor in the past, they just go ahead and do it - no options really. (I've always had a negative result before.)
Well, next pregnancy, most likely, I'll just pass on this test. My babies are very unlikely to be high-risk anyways - never had a pre-term birth, or a long labour with waters broken.
Kind of wish I could go back on it now.... I could, really, but I know my midwives would be putting their reputations at risk by supporting me in that, and they are having a hard enough time gaining credibility in the community. If by some very small chance my baby did become ill, I would feel terrible, they would feel terrible, and it would look very bad on them.

[Cricket]

Oh, and I think this is the policy for the whole province of Ontario, BTW, although I haven't investigated too carefully.

[Snowy Love]

I wasn't swabbed with DS (same hospital as Arimeh) but my waters broke before labour and when I was in labour they put a canula in to give me AB's.

[bon]

I have never had it and have never had it offered to me at either of the hospitals I have been to. It has never even been mentioned as something to consider. The only reason I know about it is from pregnancy books and from here on BB. I don't think it's policy in the maternity hospitals around here to do it as routine.

[Novella]

I never got far enough with my pregnancy's to have the swab. As I had both girls around 36 weeks the policy was for IV antibiotics but I declined or dd2, dd1 I was discharged home on oral antibiotics after my waters had broken and told to come back for an induction in 2 days (she was born that night). I had nipple thrush and dd1 had oral thrush and it took months to clear it up and Im positive it was related to the antibugs

[Jewel]

No mention of it to me anytime so I've never had it done either. I had also never heard of it before until I'd signed up here. Lol.

[Karina]

The hospital I went to in Sydney just tested everyone regardless of their risk group.

[misty]

This time I haven't even been swabbed, and when I asked about it, I was informed that because I tested positive last pg, they just 'assume' that I am positive this pg as well. Not really happy with this, as I don't want antibiotics unless I need them - not that they were clear about whether or not I would be given antibiotics or not either. Then again I am not really happy with my hospital at all and won't be going back to this one if I ever decide to have another bubs.

[Early Kids]

You know I have no idea what Group B Strep even is!

I had swabs taken whilst pregnant with both boys, but only to check for amniotic fluid and to see if I was going into labour soon (Fetal Fibronectin).

Is it something done later in pregnancy? (Brendan was born 30+1 and Tristan 34+3)

[sassy123]

the doc i go to tests everyone i didnt know there was a choice to do it or not i thought it had to be done the way they said it to me

[Early Kids]

No test is compulsory, they can't make you do anything you dont want to.

[sas85]

Policy here is that all women recommended to have it done - only been that for about two years I think they said. I had it done - had heavy growth - had one injection through canular during labour as waters broke prior to contractions - only needed one as short labour. IMO it's worth a routine look and some antibiotics JIC - my brothers were both really sick when born, my oldest 11lb bro was really sick with pneumonia and that was prob as a result of strep B infection getting to them apparently, but wasn't screened for back then - so I took it without hesitation.