Private GBS testing?

[Pinkrach]

Evening all,

I have just ordered a private GBS testing kit from The Doctor's Labratory. Main reason is I read an article about a baby that had been affected by GBS weeks ago and it made me worry!!
I was just wondering if anyone else had any experience of private GBS testing?
Xx

[rubyboo2]

Hi how far along are you ?
I had GBS in my 2nd pregnancy and recieved abx through labour . I will be having screening againthis being my 3rd pregnancy at 36 wks in 4 days.
Do you know about getting false results ? Sometimes Gbs is active and other times its inactive ?

[jmojo]

I used to work in a private unit and we sent all of pur gbs testing off to a private lab. We never had any problems.

Rubyboo is right, the reason that there is no routine screening antenatally is because it is not always actve in people who carry it. Sometime it will be there and sometimes not. It is a normal organism to have, a certain percentage of the population carry it ( 30% or there abouts). Usually in the gut or vagina. It is only a problem when it gets somewhere it shouldn't be. That is why generally women at risk only are screened, eg if you break your waters prematurely, or even at term but don't labour. Some units screen all women who break their waters in case the baby takes 24 hours or more to deliver AFTER the waters break. But every unit has a different policy. Babies are protected in the bag of waters until it breaks. Also babies are screened if the waters were broken too long ie over 24 hrs(unit policy varies on length if time) and precautions are taken like regular observations of temperatur heart rate and respiration rate, babies at risk eg premature or known babies of mothers who have tested positive for gbs previously where the mothers did not receive 2 doses or more of antibiotics in labour are also treated.

Mothers who are known to be carriers are treated with antibiotics in labour through a drip. Some parents refuse treatment for either themselves or their babies, but so long as they understand that is their choice to make.

A friend of mine (who is medical) had 2 normal births and on her 3rd child was found to have gbs but she refused treatment as she figured she had had no problems the first 2times. Some may call it foolish but she does not like intervention. She however did stay in hospital for 2 days to complete the regular observations of the baby. The actual transmission rate is low (i can't remember it exactly now). The GBS society gbss.org.uk has a lot of info.

Sorry for the rambling answer... Wasn't expecting it to be so long. Hope it helps.

[onthematleavecountdown]

I'm going to do this too.

How many weeks are you, for optimum testing time it should only be done between 35 and 37 weeks

[Pinkrach]

Thanks for the replies ladies. I read all of the info on the GBS society website which is what made me decide to test- better to be safe than sorry right. I am currently 34+2 but I am going to wait until I am over 35 weeks to test- I'm a bit worried I won't do it correctly! Lol. I actually recieved the test back today xx

[Marmot75]

I did a GBS test (also through The Doctors Laboratory) in my first pregnancy and it came back positive. I would have had antibiotics during labour but I had a caesarean in the end so no need. I was aware of GBS and the harm it can do because an ex-colleague's daughter had been very very ill after birth and her mum hadn't known she was GBS positive. I definitely think it's a good idea to be tested because the impact on the baby can be very serious.

[onthematleavecountdown]

Reading with interest. Just ordered my kit and will do when I'm 35-37 weeks.

[Pinkrach]

Yes, I'll keep you updated after I have tested xxx

[weeblueberry]

Had the same situation as Livvy. I'm keen to get tested this pregnancy so that I can avoid any risk if I test positive again.

Stupid question but if you do test positive does that stop you having a water birth? Because you couldn't be hooked up to an IV while in the water?