To swab or not to swab

[MamaSoleil]

Okay, so my midwife has left it up to me whether I want to swab for group B Strep...I was positive last time with Soleil...
She told me to research, as there are two schools of thinking on this...ONe-swab everyone, Two-swab no one!:
Any thoughts on this? If I test positive, and can't get a doc to prescribe me the anti-biotics, I will have to have a hospital birth...which I DO NOT want to do!!!

If anyone has any info they would like to share, I would be greatly appreciative!!!
TIA,

Mamasoleil

[Lucky Charm]

considering the risks to the baby should you be positive, why wouldnt you want to swab?

[MamaSoleil]

That's why I'm looking for statistics. I know that about 80% of women are carriers, but I want to know of that percentage, how many babies contract it, and then how many from that have serious consequences..ie:death.
I want to make an informed decision. And want to stay away from the hospital scene.

Mamasoleil

[Kirsten]

I recently had to make this decision too. I however have luckily tested negative the past two pregnancies. So I am hoping to get lucky this time too. But I am one step away from phobic of IVs so thought about not testing and just hoping not to have a fever during labor.
I too had heard the two schools of thought but maybe a little differently than you did? One, test everyone and give IV antibiotics during labor to all who test positive. Two, test (or not) but give IV antibiotics to all who have a fever during labor (or who have broken waters for more than 24 hours or one other condition - can't remember that third one). I was planning to test but only do the IV if I got a fever, regardless of strep results. My midwife (who is very anti-intervention/testing) sadly told me that new research really supports the IV if you test positive, even if you don't have a fever or any of the other conditions during labor.
I would go along with her recommendation due to the fact that I actually know a woman whose baby died a couple days after birth. She had not been tested for strep, had it, and she was one of the unlucky few for whom it is the ultimate price. I know there is probably a bigger percentage chance of dying in your car on the way home from the pediatrician visit but when you know someone it happened to, it makes you leary of rolling the dice. Not trying to scare anyone and I totally respect all decisions on testing or not and treating or not - just passing along the info as I understand it. I know that most people who have it don't have babies who are affected at all and very, very few have serious complications but there is that possibility.
Good luck - it is a hard decision. I am still waiting on pins and needles for my results - Monday....
Kirsten

[momto l&a]

My m/w never has checked me for group B Strep. I remember talking to her about it but cant remember all the details, it all boiled down to it wasnt a big concern.

[Kirsten]

Oh, forgot to add to my previous post - why would being positive prevent you from having a homebirth? My certified midwife (not nurse-midwife) would just do an IV for me at home. Maybe she has to get the scrip through a doc she refers to? Doesn't your midwife have a doc she refers to that could write up a Rx for IV antibiotics if you needed them?
Kirsten

[cottonwood]

I'm just curious -- docs prescribe antibiotics all the time for outpatient use... why wouldn't they for this? If you can't get an OB to, maybe a family practitioner would?

Here's a bunch of info about GBS and homebirth:

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/gbs.html

[MamaSoleil]

YEah, she can do the IV at home, but I'm pretty sure she said I would have the get the RX, though I'm now remembering her saying she could maybe call the obgyn for the RX...it sounds to me like most of her patients choose not to swab. But Kirsten you're right...I did test positive last time, and would never forgive myself if something did happen. And from your post, she did mention about only giving the IV if certain risk factors were present.
It is such a big decision. I'm only at 27 wks, so still have a while to think about it! The other thing though, is she said, I could test negative at 36 wks, but then if they were to swab me again at 38 wks, I could be positive. So,exactly how accurate is it?

Mamasoleil

[Lucky Charm]

mamasoleil....the only reason i asked why you would want to risk it, is because my best friends baby died from it. i read in the one post where you have a greater chance of getting a yeast infection from the antibiotic than your baby getting GBS. i am sure my dear friend would have happily had a yeast infection. unfourtunately, my only experience with GBS has been this one with my friend, i tested negative.

good luck.

[MamaSoleil]

Blueviolet,

Thank you SO much for that link! Turns out I can have oral antibiotics prescribed at 37 wks for 10 days, and then I don't need the IV, or I can have 4 shots, again, no IV.
I will talk to my m/w about it.
Sweetbaby, of course I understand your concern. I'm also concerned which is why I'm researching. It would just be a shame to have to go to the hospital, and put myself and baby at more risk. (We have the whole SARS issue here, I live a couple hrs away from TORONTO and there is a lockdown at every hospital), plus more chance of medical intervention...yadda yadda.
But, I think I will test, and go from there.

Mamasoleil

[Lucky Charm]

Ok. I just wanted to apologize in case i came across the wrong way, which was not my intention.

Lisa

[compleatmomof4]

I got an RX from my midwife

Originally posted by mamasoleil
Turns out I can have oral antibiotics prescribed at 37 wks for 10 days

for the 10 day pennicillin (sp?). I am supposed to get my RX filled tomorrow as I am due in 16 days. (The earliest I have given birth from my EDD was 5 days and the lastest was 2 days past so that's why my midwife thinks I should start tomorrow.)

I ahve tested positive for GBS with each of my pregnancies (this is my 4th). I had IV antibiotics with my first and second but not with my third since from the time my water broke to my daughter's birth was only 3 hours. The midwife says I should take the antibiotics early if I want them in order to give them a chance to work since apparently you need to 4 hours for IV antibiotics to kick in (more time for the oral dose.).

My only hesitation is that antibiotics give me diarrhea (sp?) and I don't want that to cause me to go into labor before the baby is ready (you know how caster oil stimulates contraxtions although if you're not ready it may not make a difference.)

Warmly,
Debra 16 days to go!

[MamaSoleil]

Thanks, pennicillin...sounds good. I will ask my midwife about this. I went into labour at 37 wks with Soleil, so I wonder if I should get them going at 35 wks...but then if i go at due date or over...any ideas on this? Something i"ll have to discuss with m/w probably!

Mamasoleil