Pregnant women should take 'smoking test': what do you think?

i had one - it wasnt described to me as such she just asked me if i had detectors in my house and i said no - she asked me if i wanted a test i said 'yes' and had it

definitely should have them absolutely !

Basil You are already forced to have 15 minutes of your booking in appointment on your own so they can quiz you about your partner possibly beating you up.

I tried to refuse that as well! For the same reasons I gave before, that I was in a vulnerable place, didn't trust the maternity system and staff after previous pregnancy and didn't want to be on my own.

She refused to see me unless I came in on my own and that was after I told her in front of DP that I knew why she wanted me on my own, the answer is no and it will be even if I go with her.

I'm sure DP felt great about that especially when he was allowed in then she said to his face that he might have given me HIV since DS was born by sleeping around!

Cardamomginger, stroppy and bolshie is good.

God I am so, so sick of all this backlash stuff to try and get women back under control and the way pregnancy and birth is used to do this - just at the time when you're most vulnerable so you can't fight back.

I'm a non-smoker, think smoking is naff, but I'm totally against this.

I know, I've got an idea, how about introducing tests to find out whether men are physically abusing their partners? 1 in 4 women are victims of Domestic Violence, it is the biggest danger to a woman's health in pregnancy and lots of men pretend they aren't beating up the women they live with when they are, so maybe a universal test to find out whether men are health risks to their partners and babies because of their DV, would be a better use of resources? I'm sure all men everywhere would be delighted to comply with such a test, after all, it's all in the name of healthy babies.

I had the test, but felt angry and resentful. It's strange. I usually ensure that I am fairly well educated about all matters health when it comes to me. But when it came to my pregnancy, I pretty much accepted what I was told, including that I 'had to' consent to certain things. It's almost like I thought that being pregnant meant that I was somehow less in charge.

Now I have had DD, I have reverted to my usual well-informed stroppy and bolshie self.

Rowan- I was bullied by my smirking bitch of a midwife into doing this test 5 years ago, despite having told her I'd never smoked in my entire life!
I was in a very emotional state- had just had a miscarriage, found I was pg again, very scared and worried about losing the pg again. This she knew btw, though she didn't listen to a single word I said about my previous pregnancies and births, nor any of my family history.
(She also referred me to the specialist MH midwife because I'd suffered depression 15 years earlier (though tbh the MHMidwife just laughed in disbelief when she looked at my notes)).

Excuse Judging by my GP surgeries constant letters while I was pregnant with DS, I would say smears are pretty pushed as well.

I think the question should be does anything like this happen to men.

I declined anti d injections, my MW was surprised, I think most people still unquestioningly do what hcp's ask. But she was fine, no one made me feel bad.

Sorry I don't think "unpregnant" is even a word!

I'm just really cross reading this thread!

I've never smoked in my life but I would refuse this test.

Are there any other medical test, in the UK, which are forced on men or unpregnant women

Starlight interesting question.

Given the NHS is on the way to being privatised, could they refuse treatment to women who refuse nicotine replacement?

DH and I are ex-smokers - me 7 years, him 3 years. We live near a main road, a tip and the M25. My asthma has been horrendous since I've lived here.

We're unlikely to have kids (long story) but if I was pregnant I would resent not being believed about not smoking, and being told that I was lying if my CO levels were high because of the sodding roads etc.

Madness! I'm shocked that this is done when it seems to carry no benefits and have such a negative impact. A waste of money and policing of pregnant women.

Hear, hear Ramboscar. Last time I looked, this is a free country. There are very few things that we have to do.

Themilkywoman, see, this is where I'd get nasty. No-one would "pretty much refuse to let me leave", not without regretting it at any rate. I'm totally unsurprised but horrified and angry nonetheless that women should be treated like this. The same applies to Cardamomginger and the HIV tests. What did you do in the end, Cardamomginger? Where you told what "trouble" you'd make for yourself by refusing?

I've had a few midwives with "But you have to!" in the past. Knowing that they must be fully aware that they're overstepping the mark and their legal rights they've all been met with a very angry, "I don't fucking well have to do anything!".

Cardamom

Ask the significant question: What does the government get out of women eathing nicotine instead of inhaling it?

I wouldn;t do it. I don't get on the scales either at booking in (3 times) and I refuse the HIV test (though once they did it without consent).

This authoritarian turn in the NHS is very worrying. It is very worrying that women are being 'encouraged' to consent to tests they do not want. It's profoundly unethical and potentially damaging to the patient/professional relationship. I think we need to educate ourselves on the legal situation vis-à-vis medical treatment and be prepared to complain when professionals overstep the mark.

I had this breathalysing at every sodding antenatal appointment last year despite telling them countless times that I didn't smoke.

I eventually declined (politely) and said that it was affecting my relationship with them. The midwife told me it was nothing to do with smoking but that she was checking my gas central heating for carbon monoxide leaks and she pretty much refused to let me leave till I did it

I'd like them to screen for slapped cheek/parvovirus B19 immunity.

I am not immune and didn't know. Now facing all kinds of complications. If I'd known I would have been more cautious about where I took my older kids and infection control when they were ill.

Given statistically there must be a far greater percentage of smokers who lie about it to their GPs, I wonder this stealth-test isn't being applied there as well.

I was 'strongly encouraged' to consent to the HIV test at my booking in when I was pregnant with DD. I'd refused it (and possibly some other ones for STDs - can't remember) and the MW sternly told me that if I refused, all sorts of questions would be asked about me and I'd be making trouble for myself.

Shocking!

They ask you, do you smoke and then regardless of what you say, you do a carbon monoxide test - it definitely felt that they were trying to catch you out to check if you were lying!

This was done at my booking in visit with DS1 4 years ago and again with DS2 last year - i thought it was routine everywhere.

I do think though that if you say you don't smoke and get asked to blow in it anyway ( like i was) its a bit