GBS Test

[Jill0905]

okay what does everyone think about this? i have no idea what to do :( i am going to a military doctor so i am not even sure of what my options are!!

[LoveChild421]

this website has tons of info on GBS and the test:

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

[alegna]

I declined it. I was aware and watched for other risk signs during labor and after dd was born.

-Angela

[AugustLia23]

I declined it as well. I hate abx. so i want to avoid them as much as possible. I am birthing at home though, so I have that option, if you are birthing in a hospital and are + or unknown, you will be given abx.

[alegna]

Like everything else, you have every right to refuse antibiotics.

-Angela

[AugustLia23]

Of course you do, but if you refuse the abx. they will want to do a septic workup on your baby when s/he is born and will also likely want to keep the baby in the hospital longer then they would've otherwise. You could also refuse those things, but then you have to deal with going AMA, and the doctors trying to convince you that your baby is gonna possibly get very sick and die.

[alegna]

So? Drs always try to tell you that not doing everything they say will kill you. It's our jobs to know better. Seriously, I don't understand doing something to make doctors happy.

-Angela

[tuffykenwell]

Of course you do, but if you refuse the abx. they will want to do a septic workup on your baby when s/he is born and will also likely want to keep the baby in the hospital longer then they would've otherwise. You could also refuse those things, but then you have to deal with going AMA, and the doctors trying to convince you that your baby is gonna possibly get very sick and die.

That wasn't my experience but then again I live in Canada and no one actually pressured me to do the test (they did recommend it but I said that I would go with the risk factor protocol and they were fine with that). I also declined the eye goop (but okayed the vitamin k) and other than having to sign the form indicating I had been informed of the risks and still chose to decline it there was no issues.

Steph

[hunnybumm]

You mentioned you were going to a military doctor, are you a civial or active duty? If you are civilian then you can deny any test you want, just like anyone else going to a regular doctor. Just because it is a military doctor doesn't change a thing.

If you are active duty you have the same 'rights' but it can go in your record and be a nice big red mark. So eventhough active duty are suppose to have the same rights as civilian, they usually don't because ones superior could get involved and make a lot of trouble. :irked: If I were delivering in a hospital I would have the test and have the antibiotics if I tested positive. I would rather these things be done to me rather then be pushed on the baby. And possibly have all kinds of crap happen to my baby that I am unaware of because it's "hospital policy". I would also be afraid they would do all the tests and crap without telling me, or eventhough I say not to do it.

[AugustLia23]

Hey, I'm not saying that she should take the GBS test. I didn't, nor did I take most other tests. I am homebirthing as well, since mainly, I'm not sick, so there's no reason for me to be in a hospital. I am simply saying what will likely happen at the hospital. I'm not telling her to do anything to make her doctors happy, I'm just saying it so that she knows.