GBS and homebirth
OK, so I work at a hospital where it is standard that if you are GBS positive, you need to receive 3 doses of antibiotics while laboring in order for you to be considered safe. If you receive any less than this, you're baby will have a blood draw and a CBC and blood culture will be done.
I am GBS positive and not having a home birth, or at least not as of yet, and I want to be home every second that I can be laboring. Well, this laboring time at home will cause me to not be getting IV antibiotics the whole time. If I end up at the hospital at the last minute, or anytime not allowing me to get a hefty dose of meds, they will poke my baby...I want to avoid this at all costs.
I was just wanting some suggestions from any midwives or doulas out there that have dealt with this in the past. I know GBS is blown way out of proportion, but these are standards of care at my hospital, and there isn't any way for me to get around them and I want to avoid being at the hospital as much as possible. HELP!!
I am GBS positive and not having a home birth, or at least not as of yet, and I want to be home every second that I can be laboring. Well, this laboring time at home will cause me to not be getting IV antibiotics the whole time. If I end up at the hospital at the last minute, or anytime not allowing me to get a hefty dose of meds, they will poke my baby...I want to avoid this at all costs.
I was just wanting some suggestions from any midwives or doulas out there that have dealt with this in the past. I know GBS is blown way out of proportion, but these are standards of care at my hospital, and there isn't any way for me to get around them and I want to avoid being at the hospital as much as possible. HELP!!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael R. on -
Can you sign a waiver? YOU are the parent.
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Permalink Reply by Rachel on -
I'm going to check around and see if I can find this, but they used to offer two ways of treating GBS positive women. One of them is the way you describe. The other way is risk based. So if you have symptoms (ie fever), or risk factors (preterm), then you would get the antibiotics. If I can find those recommendation, you may be able to bring that with you to ask if they would do that this way. Other than that, I bet they wouldn't let you opt out on this one. The other thing that you may want to try is being tested for GBS again at 38 weeks....GBS is transient and comes and goes. Maybe you'll test neg. and they'll let that go. Good luck
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Atondo on -
No waiver.
I have been positive with both of my last 2 pregnancies, so I guess I should just do a lot of praying that I would turn up negative. My OB is not being very helpful with this and doesn't seem to know any alternatives for me. I'm so frustrated!
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Permalink Reply by Tammany Lark Haynes on -
Hi Sarah,
I don't know if I have any answers for you, but I had a similiar experience in Dec of 2007 when I had my daughter. I saw a midwife who did deliveries in the hospital. (It was also the hospital that I worked for, as a homecare RN) I was surprised and upset when I was GBS positive at around 37 weeks--I wasn't that familair with GBS (I worked with the geriatric population-not an issue :)) I was however, familair with IV antibiotics, and my gut reaction was that it was extreme to give IV antibiotics to a laboring woman as a prophylactic measure against GBS infection. After much worrying and research I deciced to refuse the antibiotics, unless I showed any of the risk factors (fever, prolonged rupture of membranes, pre-term labor). This was in large part due to the prevalence of the GBS as a normal flora of the vagina in up to 40% of women, and the fact that in almost all European countries, they don't even screen for it. I was OK with them drawing blood from the baby, because although a serious infection is not common, it can be deadly or very damaging for the baby. They did a C-reacative protein test, which would show early levels of infection, which came back fine. Continued...
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Permalink Reply by Tammany Lark Haynes on
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Sorry, I was so long winded I had to write a second reply. I would contact the hospital directly (hospital liason, maybe?)and find out what your rights are as far as refusing tests for the baby. It is my understanding that except in cases of real emergency and danger that you have the right to refuse any treatment, and also treatment for your child. Best of luck with your decision and birth, feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance.
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Permalink Reply by Emily Neiman, CNM on
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I would contact your pediatrician. In the hospital I work in, the pediatrician is the one who decides what tests will/will not be run on baby. See if he/she has any alternatives if you decide to refuse IV antibiotics or get less than the hospital-required dose.
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Permalink Reply by EmilyK on
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This might not help your particular situation, but it might open doors for the next laboring mom. I suggest that you get a hold of that article about Chlorhexidine and all it's myriad fabulousness and bring it before hospital administrators. There's nothing like going straight to the top. By the way, the Chlorhexdine wash is what is done in Sweden, denmark, the netherlands..etc. All of those places whose birth rates are so much better than ours.
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie Lawrence on -
Hi Sarah, I went through the IV antibiotics with my last baby. As soon as the last dose was given, I demanded to be taken off the IV. They listened and I went on to have my waterbirth with no problems. This time around I am planning a home birth, I haven't discussed in great length GBS with my midwife, however, I know that she mentioned if I ended up being GBS positive again, that she would just give me oral antibiotics. I think that's an option for you. maybe look into it. Good Luck!
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Permalink Reply by Lorie Tan on -
I live in Turkey, which is even more intervention-happy than the United States. The funny thing is, they don't do GBS screening here or routinely administer eye goop at birth. I was prepared to fight to avoid both the screening and eye goop, but they weren't even offered. Go figure! I did have to sign that I didn't want Hep B or Vitamin K given at birth. You have every right to refuse anything you don't want. You employ THEM. It's not the other way around. You DO have the right to say no to both the antibiotics and to the pricking of your baby. Just ask for an AMA (against medical advice) form.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Atondo on
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If I sign any type of AMA form at the hospital, from that point on, my insurance will pay for nothing.
Thank you all for your advice. I will look into other options from here. I'm just wondering what all of the midwives do for all of the GBS moms that deliver at home with no IV? Is it just oral antibiotics then?
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Permalink Reply by Bonnie P on -
Maybe post this question in the Homebirther's group? You may get more responses from women who have been through this and given birth at home. In any case, good luck!
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