Declining GBS test? - Page 2

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by chandasz

I think if you show other risk factors or are "heavily colonized"-- then perhaps ABX is not a bad choice....

Excellent point! I forgot to mention this in my listing of "risk Factors" - since, it is not like HIV where you either have it or you don't. Since there are degrees of colonization it would be good to know how heavily colonized you are since that increases the risks.

I actually carried until 41W4D, so I asked to be retested at 41W. LOL, the MW said to me, "Well, there's no point retesting, because even if you are negative, they're still going to want to treat you anyway since you were + before." Ha! Like I care what they "want" to do. I would have declined in the face of a 2nd negative test combined with zero other risk factors. (I told her I wanted to be retested anyway & she consented. Although I was still +.)

At that point (since I knew more), I asked if they could tell me the degree of colonization. But they said, "No, we don't do colony counts." :

[luckymamato2]

I tested positive for GBS, consented to antibiotics, but I was too dehydrated to get them. They were trying to do a heplock so I could come and go easier, and get in the labor tub. My doula had meant to tell me to avoid the test and wanted them to retest me but they would not do it. I followed her advice and used the homeopathic ways to get rid of it. I was on the fence about declining the antibiotics but was SO HAPPY when the m/w couldn't find a vein. My labor was flying! I didn't have cervical checks until labor, and my water was broken by the m/w twisting it, about 50 minutes before dd was born. I had to stay the full 12 hours at the birth center (moms normally leave within a few hours), and they also had their ped come and check dd out in the middle of the night. She was fine, no GBS.

If we get pg again, I will homebirth, decline the test, but do as many homeopathic remedies as I can stand, to prevent any problems. We'll also try and have our ped do a home visit the next day since she lives close by, and I've heard she does that for homebirths.

[boscopup]

Originally Posted by bluedaisy

Part of me wants to take the test so that if I'm negative I don't have to worry

Some women test negative and still end up with GBS infected babies. I think regardless of your GBS status, you should watch your newborn for symptoms of infection.

I'm not saying you SHOULD worry, but just that having a negative status doesn't necessarily get you off the hook. I remember at least one MDC mom that posted a GBS negative with GBS infected baby story a couple years ago in the NICU forum.