Antibiotics during homebirth

[Muslimah]

Hello.

My midwife said I have to take antibotics cause of heart murmur. At first she said she can put in an IV, but I was like no way! Then she said the next best thing would be to take have it injected in my rump during labour.

I have googled all over for information on heart murmurs and antibiotics during labour and I cant find anything.

Is it really necessary? I normally take 4 antibotic pils a couple hours before the dentist.... Midwife says I have to get a prescription from my dr or get a note from the dr. Any advice? Any one experince this?

[Persephone]

I would talk to MamaTaraX about this... PM her, she's pretty informed.

[Tine]

I'm definitely NOT informed.... But FWIW, I have a heart murmur, have given birth once, and am 26 wks. PG again, and no one (docs, midwives, etc.) has ever mentioned antiobiotics during labor to me.

[maybebaby]

Also have a heart murmur and have never had abx during labor, with OB's or MW's.

The only time I was asked about it was when I had my wisdom teeth extracted. For fear of a possible infection getting to your heart, they like you to take abx if you have any heart issues but a simple note from my GP and they were fine with just doing the extraction w/o abx.

I'm under the impression that many medical professionals have given up prophylactic antibiotics, and when they do use them it's just a big dose right before the procedure (again, done much of the time before dental work).

Good luck!!

[Jane]

Anytime there is a chance of getting bacteria in the bloodstream, antibiotics are advised for people with a heart valve problem. The abnormal flow around the valve makes it easier for bacteria to settle there, causing a dangerous infection.

Having a murmur doesn't always mean that you have a heart problem - sometimes murmurs are not related to the internal workings of the heart. You should probably follow up the issue with your cardiologist/family doc.

As far as the question - is labor dangerous? There is a chance for bacteria to enter at the placenta site, but it's less likely than with dental work.

If you chose to have antibiotics in labor, you can do what many midwives do for GBS+ moms - run the antibiotics in with a butterfly needle. The midwife just sits there holding it while it runs, and it's completely out afterwards, usually 10 minutes later.

[Muslimah]

Thanks Apricot!

I am going to tell my midwife that I want the butterfly needle instead of an iV, if I have to have it.

[MamaTaraX]

THe butterfly needle thing is how we ran abx during my last birth. I did an IV for the first one. I take abx for heart as well. I've done a bunch of research and it seems that its no longer the recommendation *for labor* Prophylactic abx are still recomended for dental procedures and surgeries. Usually when I have something done, I am given a megadose of abx before the procedure and after. I'm having a homebirth this time and have yt to decide about abx during labor. I'll do them afterwards (6 hours roughly) if nothing else. I think I am pretty okay with not taking them during labor now, it just feels wierd because it's what I've always done and what has been drilled into me since infancy. The infection you can get is very real and very dangerous and can lead to heart failure, so I do not take the decision to not thake them lighty. You can always talk to a cardiologist about it. Mine said that I don't hve to take them if I don't want to and that's what he wrote for me for both previous births. He wrote a thing saying that if I should want them, here is the amount to give, etc. He said what I have learned, that abx in labor aren't always given or recommended anymore. They are most useful in long labors or after membranes rupture. I can't sit and type anymore, so I hope that I've been some help

Namaste, Tara