GBS

[Dansta]

I have a question which will sound really, really REALLY TMI but...

I have just read the instructions for the GBS swab, that i'm to do myself (i'm 37 weeks but will be doing it at 39 due to my ability to make a wonderful womb) and i was a little shocked to see that its a veeja swab (done with both boys) but this one also asks for a anus to be swabbed... like... why? i understand that GBS travels from the anus to the veeja, but would there not always be an amount of GBS in the anus? i tested +ive both times with the boys, thus im doing the test so late as both boys where 11 & 10 days late so want to be able to see as close to birth as possable what my GBS status is (i am aware i can forgo the tests but DH wants it done as the boys had issues at birth) but is this normal and has changed in three years since the last birth with vic?! im a little shocked to be honest - and was getting ready to start useing garlic cloves ect to kill any GBS/thrush off... but now im just confused!

[peanutter]

It was front and back bottom when I did it in 2012.

[Dansta]

This is 2cm in the veejay and the same *in* the back passage.... O.o

[peanutter]

Yes.

Fun for the whole family.

[Dansta]

O.o with one swab for *both* seems really odd one swab each yeah ok but one for both?

[Mum2SweetCs]

When i had dd1 it was just veeja and so i assumed for dd2 was so too.

Thats until my friend who was preg same time with me asked how my swab went that i realised i did it wrong and it required both holes! I was quite shocked.

I didnt bother redoing the test as i found it quite ummmm... Unhygenic

Sorry im no help lol

[peanutter]

It seemed weird to me too, but the instructions were super clear, and I double checked with the Dr, and yep, one swab for both holes.

As long as you do your bum after your baby cave, it's all good.

[HotI]

always from front to back. I don't recall it asking for.inside, but it was def front and back in 2010

[TickToc]

As long as you do your bum after your baby cave, it's all good.

pmsl

The midwife told me today that some ladies test negative in the vagina but can still pass it to bub as they test positive in the bum & it spreads? I was given the option of doing the test at pathology or at home - yeah I'd like to be as relaxed as possible for that one thanks

[Dansta]

With the boys the mw did it for me (erm i cant see jack shizz over my bump!) But i dont remember anything going in the bum! And it was the mw who did it.... Im just in shock lol. Why wouldnt they do one swab per hole? Surely it makes better sense....

[OceanPrincess]

...As long as you do your bum after your baby cave, it's all good.

So, three baybees here and three GBS swabs and never anything near mah bum. One swab, in the baby cave and that is all.

No mention of anus. Shudder, that doesn't see, hygienic!!

[HotI]

I know someone who just waved the swab in the air and then handed it to pathology, and tested positive to GBS. certainly made me doubt the process even more.

[Jennifer13]

I haven't bothered with the test this time. My m/ws both said that unless you tested right on labour there's always a chance you're positive no matter the result earlier. So they keep a close eye on bub anyway. Which is all we'd do if I was positive too, since I won't have ABs while in labour.

[little_O]

I had never heard of this test till belly belly. I never got tested with dd. Why would this be??

[chody47]

When I did the test with DD1 I'm sure it was only vagina.... I didnt test for DD2. I was happy to just assume I was positive as I was with DD1.

[peanutter]

google "GBS swab instructions" - you can see a pdf which categorically tells you do do it that way (the entry hole then the exit hole).

but it's probably one of a million things that at the end of the day, different hospitals do different ways

I didn't bother with the test with DS1, but someone here shared a story of a very late loss from GBS after DS1 was born, so I did for DS2.

strange swabbing requirements notwithstanding.

[Dansta]

The instructions i got where baby cave then bum.... Im shocked though... Cannot.wrap.my.head around both swabbed with one swab... Makes no sense at all. Yes gbs starts in the anus/rectum but why would you not test the veejay with one and rectom with another? I think i'll just do the veejay stuff the other one... Its illogical really.

Why oh why use one swab to test two sites? When ab's in labour arent always effective...