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What is the general opinion about the strepp b testing? If/When to do it?
strepp b
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I decided to do the GBS test. I think it was at about 37 weeks. Was negative. I just thought I'd want to know so I could tx herbally if positive. I think it should be every woman's choice. Know the pros and cons of GBS. I know many women who decided not to test for it.
I had GSB with #2 and have refused testing since then. My labors are quite fast (4 hours or less) and baby really isn't in the birth canal for long. In my hospital birth for #3, they made me stay in the hospital for 3 days since my labor was so fast and they didn't have time to give me antibiotics. They gave them to the baby and TOLD me they had been doing it. For #4, I asked my midwife. She told me that the first few hours after birth, she monitors the baby. She'll watch the fever and check for any potential signs of contact with the StrepB. I felt/feel comfortable enough in that. If the baby begins to develop a fever, we would transfer at that point. I personally don't feel it's a necessary test.
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I declined the test because
a : it is not statistically powerful, 15 % of women who get tested negativ are positiv and one can test positiv and negativ within 2 consecetuve tests. Basically the result is useless.
b: the antiobtics treatment is debatable itself and not risk free
c: the chance of a baby of a gbs positive mother to get an infection and suffer consequences is extremly low, the random chance to die during childbirth is higher.
Therefore routinely testing and treating with antibiotics is not evidence based medicine. All women should watch for their temperature after their waters break and all babys should be watched after birth,too. For the concerned there are herbal treatments without side effects available.
a : it is not statistically powerful, 15 % of women who get tested negativ are positiv and one can test positiv and negativ within 2 consecetuve tests. Basically the result is useless.
b: the antiobtics treatment is debatable itself and not risk free
c: the chance of a baby of a gbs positive mother to get an infection and suffer consequences is extremly low, the random chance to die during childbirth is higher.
Therefore routinely testing and treating with antibiotics is not evidence based medicine. All women should watch for their temperature after their waters break and all babys should be watched after birth,too. For the concerned there are herbal treatments without side effects available.
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I had it done and I came back positive. I was supposed to be on IV antibiotics 4 hours before pushing, however I presented at the birth center 9 cm dilated....so I got one shot of antis and that was it. No problems whatsoever, we had to stay for approx. 12 hours post birth (no problemo for me!) and monitor ds for a week. Looking back I would have refused the antis because frankly it didn't do any good at all, since ds came about 2 hours later. Live and learn.
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i was tested w/ both dc. first was neg, second was pos. my mw gave me an herbal suppository treatement for it. i never actually tested again after i took the treatment to see if i was neg but my labor and delivery was perfect. if i ever have to make that decision agian i'm opting not to test. i really don't feel that it's nessecary.
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I'd like to be able to opt out but still can't help but 'buy into' the hype around getting it done.
What types of risk factors are there for someone to have a positive test anyway?
What types of risk factors are there for someone to have a positive test anyway?
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huggerwocky, do you have a source for this information? I'd love to have it to add to my 'arsenal'.
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I was curious about the same thing....what are the 'risk factors'. I thought it was just a random thing that lives in some women.
| a : it is not statistically powerful, 15 % of women who get tested negativ are positiv and one can test positiv and negativ within 2 consecetuve tests. Basically the result is useless. |
I was curious about the same thing....what are the 'risk factors'. I thought it was just a random thing that lives in some women.
Simplemama, just research it some. There is only a .01 chance of baby getting the infection IF you even have it. When I was just looking up info about GBS and treatment I also found that studies suggest that 1 to 10 percent of women treated with penicillin have a mild reaction and 1 in 10,000 will have a mild allergic reaction (usually a rash), and 1 in 10,000 will have a serious allergic reaction.
If you decide to test and it does come back positive, you can douche with Hibiclens (over the counter antiseptic) and subsequent tests will usually be negative. Having said that, a woman can be negative at the test but postive at birth and vice versa. pps are right about the stats- just google it.
Most MDs will do a vaginal and anal swab for this test. IMO almost everyone would have GBS in the anus. I chose to do the test (and it was negative), but my midwife had me do the swab myself and I only did the vaginal swab since that's where the baby came out!
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I monitored ds's temp and vitals anyway for the first three days after he was born. No problems.
Most MDs will do a vaginal and anal swab for this test. IMO almost everyone would have GBS in the anus. I chose to do the test (and it was negative), but my midwife had me do the swab myself and I only did the vaginal swab since that's where the baby came out!
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Quote:
It was in my informed consent papers I got from my midwife
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Originally Posted by Kellym huggerwocky, do you have a source for this information? I'd love to have it to add to my 'arsenal'.
I was curious about the same thing....what are the 'risk factors'. I thought it was just a random thing that lives in some women. |
I did not test, but did a treatment for the last 5 weeks of pregnancy as if i was positive. I use the regimen recommended by my MW: Vitamin C 1000 twice daily and grapefruit seed extract 3 X daily. this was to help boost my immune system and keep colonization levels down.
Jen
Jen
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I did have the test, but only because I was having an HBAC. I knew that my risk of transfer was increased so I was hoping to get a negative result so that I wouldn't automatically get antibiotics if we had to transfer to the hospital. I was neg., if I had been positive we would not have done anything at home unless my water was broken for a long time or there were other risk factors. I think if you have the test in the hopes of avoiding antibiotics in case of transfer, the test is only valid for 5 weeks.
Lydia
Lydia
I saw my midwife yesterday for the first time this pregnancy (almost 20 weeks). She was looking at my old charts from my first visit with her (about 5 years ago) and says "You've come a long ways baby!" She started reading what all I had asked and what her notes said. One of the things was that I wanted IV antibiotics during labor because of GBS.
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: She said "We wouldn't be able to even talk to you into that now if we wanted to" and I replied with "I now try to talk other women out of it".
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: It was just humerous to me to see the then and now!
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