Contemplating Refusing GBS Culture... (same as I'm pregnant)

[Charmie981]

I'm contemplating refusing this because I haven't really read any compelling reason that I should have it done. The only reason my MW gives is that if I transport and don't have a negative culture on record, they will give baby IV antibiotics. I'm not sure that the obscure risk of a transport is good enough for me to have it done.

My concerns:
50% of my MW's summer moms come back + (but only about 10% in the winter). She'll retest until she gets a negative or until you go into labor, but once in labor, if I had a + result most recently, I'll have to have antibiotics. Don't want those.

My reasons for declining:
1. GBS is cyclical and a negative result at the time of the test doesn't mean I'll be negative for it during my labor and vice versa. So to me the test is really pointless.

2. It's kind of a silly goal of mine with this pregnancy not to have a vaginal exam until I'm in labor. If GBS is necessary, I'll let go of this goal, but I'm just not seeing how it's necessary...

Does anyone have any opinions/information on this to share with me? I'm either 35 or 36 weeks today and the MW assistant (MW wasn't there today) wanted to do the culture today, but I put it off. Next appt. is in two weeks, so I'll have to make up my mind by then.

[kellyr2]

I'm also completely dumbfounded by this whole routine gbs testing thing. Its SO pointless, especially at 36 weeks. Sure if I go into labor the day after the test, then maybe the test had a point, but otherwise, its utterly pointless. I didn't get tested. My mw didn't offer it anyway but I already knew I didn't want it. I also declined the GD test (my CNM nearly freaked out, this was just before i dropped her - had been doing dual care with the cnm and dem - she thought i was crazy since i was so "at risk" for it after already giving birth to a 9 lb baby, didn't matter that both mine and ds's blood sugar was fine, a big baby seems to mean GD risk: ) but anyway - here's my thought - is it possible to just do the test when you go into labor? I don't know how long it takes to get the results, but if that would be possible, that's what I'd do. My other thought - if vaginal exams are the only concern, why? I know, I've read in countless books/mags about having as few exams as possible to avoid the risk of infection. But my question is - do you read anywhere about making sure to have your dh scrub his fingers and penis with antibacterial soap and use gloves and a condom? (okay, so i did read once that someones OB said use a condom during pg to avoid risk of infection) Or what about masterbation? That's never once mentioned in the stuff I've read. So my conclusion is that a clean midwife's hand covered in a glove is AT LEAST as low risk as sex, so its not an issue. To me that is. I know others may disagree.

[Charmie981]

Originally posted by kellyr2
- here's my thought - is it possible to just do the test when you go into labor? I don't know how long it takes to get the results, but if that would be possible, that's what I'd do.

It takes about two days to see if the GBS bacteria grows in the petri dish, so this option is out. There are a few threads in the archives on this board, but it still seems like it's an up in the air thing. I'm still leaning toward refusing, simply because of the fact that I can be + one day and - the next, or vice versa.

Does it mean anything that my culture with DS was negative? Probably not :.

[Sara29]

I never had a GBS test done during either pregnancy. I had my dd in feb 99 at home with dh. In april of 2002 I had my son at home.I had a mw midway through for the second one.She did bp,fht,Chem strip for urine(had me tell results),and that was it prenatally.Oh wait she might have done fundal height too.The only internal I ever got was 30 minutes before I delivered ds(when she arrived at the house).
Know what the disease can do and it's symptoms.Infants who have gotten antibios sometimes still develop an infection,but it is missed since they figure the antibiotics will prevent any infection.

I had wanted the test when I was having my first,but no ob would do it unless I hired them as my doctor for the pregnancy.The second time around with the mw I just said don't bother.Whatever you feel comfortable with do it.It is your choice alone.
sara

[Spark]

I agree with Sara, it is your choice alone. Personally, I didn't have it done when my DS was born at home. And, I won't have it done ever... unless I'm in a foreign country, don't speak the language and have gone blind and deaf.

Best wishes! Either way, I hope your results never influence your birth outcome. May your child's birth be peaceful, beautiful and overall splendid.

[indigolilybear]

I regret having it done w/dd. (it was positive....and I had had one neg. culture back before delivering. Protocol is two neg's back before they let you go w/o anti-biotics for my MW"s. They let me go w/o anyway, luckily. )
W/ds we did no prenatal "scare" (which is waht all of it was for dd's preg.) If you are so inclined, I don't see any reason to do it. Just MHO

[bloodrayne]

I decided to have it done. My reasoning was, I didn't trust a neg result, but at least if I was positive I could be prepared. I almost turned it down though, but figured there was no harm in testing.

[Quickening]

Hi!

I am in Australia and my midwife did not offer GBS and I would not have taken the offer if it was offered. I don't agree with the whole bunch of routine tests during pregnancy nor ultrasounds and I avoided every single one of them! I did get one blood test though for my midwife showing proof that I did not have any STDs that she could contact if she came in contact with my blood during birth.

If you don't want antibiotics, don't take them. They can't force you to, no matter how much they say it is hospital policy.

I think your reasons for declining are very good reasons and yes the test is pointless. I don't think its a silly goal of yours to not have a vaginal exam until you're in labour. Why the hell would a vaginal exam be necessary during pregnancy? I didn't have any and I would of been horrified if my midwife said I needed one!

I also didn't see the point of vaginal exams during labour either, they aren't necessary unless of course the mum really wants one.

I treasure my privacy and am determined to protect my baby's privacy and personal space from all well meant "meddling" that does no good in the end anyway.

If you don't want it, then the answer is simple. Don't do it!

[Charmie981]

Originally posted by Quickening
I also didn't see the point of vaginal exams during labour either, they aren't necessary unless of course the mum really wants one.

I don't either and have talked to my MW about it. Things are complicated by the fact that I'll be birthing at a freestanding birth center in the next state over from me (there are no legal MWs here and UC is something my husband would love to do, but I'm not so sure...). She has to "admit" me to the birth center on paperwork, but doesn't like to officially admit a client until she's clearly in active, productive labor. The best way to determine that is with a vaginal exam. It's actually a "for my own good" situation because if I'm "admitted" too early, the clock is ticking on how long I can legally labor at the birth center, if that makes sense. Anyway, so I've conceded to one exam upon arriving at the birth center, and one before I push just b/c my MW is old school and doesn't like mom to push w/o checking her first. That's still a hell of a lot better than the 25+ exams BEFORE I was in labor with my DS (dr. attended hospital birth).

Thanks for all of the information, ladies. I think I'm going to go ahead and refuse .

[Defenestrator]

Until about a year ago, the protocol was not to test everyone, but instead to just treat the women who presented risk factors. Risk factors for a GBS infection that is more likely to pass to a baby:

Premature rupture of membranes
Premature/low birth weight baby
Fever in labor
Active infection (like a bladder infection) in pregnancy
Membranes ruptured for more than 24 hours

Perhaps you can make a plan that involves getting antibiotics if you have one or more risk factors.

There are also a number of alternative treatments that are recommended to pregnant women as a preventative to keep GBS counts low. These include a lot of immune system boosters and anti-bacterial substances like Usnea, Echinacea, colloidal silver, vitamin c, etc.

Good luck!

[0cean]

my midwife does a version of the test that I had done.

she does a vaginal swab, which is nothing like an exam, in fact you could probably do it yourself and just hand it to her when you are done. and the test she had done does a total evaluation of its contents, so that way if the GBS type (drawback is that it is not certain that it is actual GBS unless you do both tests) shows up she can see if it is just "occasional" or if it has a large presence. the other type of test just tests if it is there or not with no real measure of how much is there.

i origionally opted not to do it and after rethinking it for awhile I decided to have it done at about 39 weeks. it came back as a rare occurring possibibility so I am not going to worry about the antibiotics.

[KittyKat]

Hi Kellyr2!!

Kelly and I had the same midwife.

She told me since I had a positive culture in the past with #2 (hospital birth) I could take echinacea for the weeks before the birth if it helped me feel better, and we would watch the baby for any sign of illness.

Of course, he was just fine. Not that I was worried, but I did take the echinacea just for my own peace of mind.

I didn't have the GD test either, of course. I actually never once set foot in a medical office at all during theentire pregnancy. MAN was that liberating!!!

Kathryn

[kellyr2]

Kathryn! Fancy meeting you here We're in NC now, but Leanne keeps saying she'll come anyway when i get pg again. I emailed her to ask for sure because we're ttc now, but she hasn't replied yet. Anyway, I don't want to take up too much time to play catch up on this thread, just wanted to say hi back!