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Tests/Screenings/Procedures. Accept or Decline?

752 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  squidink 
#1 ·
This is my first pregnancy. I'm planning a homebirth with a midwife, but I'm receiving backup care through the midwife group at the local hospital because Medicaid covers it and my husband feels safer that way. I'm having a hard time finding actual scientific data about some of the tests, screenings and procedures that seem to be routine at my hospital.

My homebirth midwife doesn't require any of these screenings, but since I'm getting backup at the hospital, I really want to be well-informed in case I need to defend my decision to decline routine tests. Hopefully by homebirth is uneventful and I won't have to worry about interventions during delivery or postnatal stuff (at least until I take my baby to the pediatrician.)

Here's how I'm leaning so far:

Prenatal Stuff

Ultrasound-no, unless there seems to be a problem.

AFS- no

CFS- no

Glucose Tolerance Test- I'd prefer not to, but I don't know if it is optional at the hospital

Hematocrit- not sure. For one, I'm not sure if it's optional. Also, I can't find a lot of information about what happens if the midwife is unhappy with the results. Anyone know?

Group B Strep- not sure. I don't want routine administration of antibiotics, but I would prefer to know if my baby is at risk for getting sick after birth so I can do some more natural preventative measure like extra probiotics, colloidal silver, garlic insertion, etc.

Prenatal Rhogam- no (I'm A-)

Postnatal stuff

Vitamin K- not sure, but I'm leaning toward no.

Eye ointment- again, not sure, but leaning toward no.

PKU screening- mandatory in my state, though I plan to refuse until at least 3 days after birth.

Postnatal Rhogam- yes, if my baby has a positive blood type. I will request that the blood be drawn from the placenta instead of my baby's body.

Am I missing anything big? What are your thoughts on these routines? I'd love any information anyone can give, especially links to peer-reviewed studies or data about these things.
 
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#2 ·
I am not getting any of the tests/procedures, including the infant ones, except for the one required by state law. My feeling is that if there is a problem detected then I will discuss it with my midwife and we'll decide together if a test/procedure needs to be done. There is a lot of good information on Mothering.com so if you go to the homepage and enter each test/procedure in the search box, I'm sure you'd find what you were looking for. Good luck and congratulations!!
 
#3 ·
I will be getting the screening tests this time around only because I had a loss due to a chromosomal abnormality during my last pregnancy. I will also be having 1-2 more ultrasounds than average to make sure everything is ok.

I am refusing the glucose testing and group b strep. The prenatal rhogam I am unsure of. I refuse Vit. K and eye drops for the baby, but I do allow the PKU testing. It is mandatory in my state, plus I feel the benefits outweigh the risks.
 
#4 ·
The only things I do are the ultrasound, prenatal first blood work ( go between anemic and over iron supply) and tell them to shove the rest of what they want to do to me. Including GBS, Glucose test ect.

Newborn I only do the PKU. We do oral Vit K, I do not do eye ointment vaccines ect.

You can refuse what ever you want to.Your body, your baby, your choice. Not theirs.
 
#5 ·
We homebirth with a CNM. We skip the triple screen and because of that do a 20week ultrasound - to check specifically for spinal issues. It's my understanding that if there IS a spinal issue it's best to deliver in hospital so that the baby can receive emergent care if need be.

Every other test and postnatal treatment we do - I've yet to have a convincing reason not to - and if i'm not morally convicted to NOT do something then i'd rather spend energy on thing's i AM convinced of. (and i've got plently of those!
lol.gif
)

With my first i was against the vitamin K and eye ointment. but in the end decided to go ahead with them. I was never persuaded I just didn't have a strong reason not to.
 
#6 ·
Homebirth with a CPM.

Will be doing the initial bloodwork, and 20 week ultrasound. (She doesn't order ultrasounds by default, but since I have to see her backup OB once during my pregnancy, and they have an ultrasound in his office, she said he can just get it done there.) I don't know if she does the glucose tolerance test (I had one pregnancy with suspected GD), and will ask her to do GBS (was GBS+ with one pregnancy...it's worth the cotton swab for me. She can run the IV during my homebirth if I feel like going for IV antibiotics if it comes up positive, or discuss other options.) Anemia runs in my family, and I sometimes have issues when I'm pregnant, so if she asks for finger sticks for that, I'm perfectly fine with testing my levels.

Newborn stuff, like a previous poster, I don't have a compelling enough reason to fight against PKU, Vitamin K, and eye goop. (We do not vaccinate our kids, though.)
 
#7 ·
Thanks for all the responses, ladies. Like some of you, I haven't found a compelling reason not to do the vitamin K and eye goop, other than it seems rather unpleasant for the infant.

In response to Mommyofalmost6, unfortunately in my particular situation I can't refuse whatever I want. In my state PKU is mandatory for all newborns. Also, because my backup care is through medicaid, I was forced to be tested for HIV at my first prenatal. I'm fairly sure that some of the other screenings are mandatory for mothers covered by medicaid.
 
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