To refuse this.

[Stripedtights]

I have my 12 week scan today and at my booking appointment I had a carbon monoxide test at my booking appointment which was all fine think my reading came back at around 2 or 3 which the midwife explained would be down to environmental factors, fair enough I thought. Midwife then went on to tell me that they do this again at the 12 week scan. I didn't like how I told her I'm a non smoker yet still still made me do the test like I was some sort of teenager telling lies I never had to go through this when pregnant with Dd.

What makes me angry is when I was last in having my dd I saw quite a few ladies in because their babies had been born early addicted to drugs or wirh fetal alcohol syndrome.

I've got nothing to hide with regards to the cm test I haven't touched a ciggarette since I was 16 and I thought it was big and clever but the idea of being forced to test is making me quite cross. Wibu to refuse the test I was under the impression this test was mandatory I could be wrong though but I feel like asking why the hell aren't they testing for drugs and alcohol? Yes smoking whether you're pregnant or not is a very bad choice for your health but I happen to think drugs and alcohol are far worse I just think if they are going to shame women who smoke they should be doing the same wirh the other 2 categories.

Basically if I smoke a ciggarette before i go in il get a telling off but if I sniff a line of coke nobody will know. How the hell is that right? (Obviously I wouldn't do either of these things)

What the hell is it with healthcare professional's not believing their paitents?

WeBuilt

I don't recall any part of the OP where she stated that she didn't believe anybody would ever lie.

Op's exact words were: 'Why would anyone lie?'

I read an article a few years ago that they were introducing these tests to check on pollution heavy areas like London. Woman were reading high from traffic fumes.

I wouldnt automatically think they were checking you were a smoker.

But then I was argued with that I had to have the anti d injection because woman lie about who their babies dad is. So in that respect anythings possible.

My midwife asked me to test, came back higher than average for a non smoker. Transpired, after an in depth discussion, that it was my love of burning candles that was to blame for the elevated readings. The emissions from the burnout was raising my co2 levels.

I've not burned a candle since, wax melter home now.

I'd love to know how you met so many women with babies with foetal alcohol syndrome in hospital, they are not diagnosed at birth.
And also drug addicted babies, they will have been in SCBU and the numbers are minimal. 🙄

*CO not co2

*@ShumpaLumpa - OP said 'What the hell is it with healthcare professional's not believing their patients?' which is basically the same as saying she thinks patients don't lie.

And dead ringer was probably telling OP to grow up because of the 'sweetie' comment which was pretty childish.*

She said this in exasperation having already been happy to submit to the first test and been proved to be a non-smoker.

I'll give you that - 'sweetie' is indeed an awful, patronising term for anybody to use.

Bold fail.

Op's exact words were: 'Why would anyone lie?'

Yes, she did say this in a later response, when the discussion had moved on, although not in her OP; but questioning WHY anyone would lie (having already been found 'innocent' in a test already) is not the same as stating that nobody WOULD ever lie.

Oh, yes, the whole sweetie, grow up child brigade, very Handmaid's Tale. Aunt Lydia knows best, OP.

Had the scan all is going great with the baby I did reject the test and the healthcare professional I had was so down to earth we had such a great chat and a laugh and she was totally fine with it she asked out of interest why I decided to reject and I discussed briefly what happened at my booking appointment and she admitted that here it has only recently become a routine check past the booking appointment and said that most haven't had any updated training since which is why it might of come across so badly which is fair enough hopefully that's something that gets addressed quicky.

Ofcourse I do not believe everyone tells the truth to their doctors but also I kind of think if they don't tell the truth it's because they don't want to or are not ready to change i do think your word should be good enough but it seems when pregnant they really dont have much trust again that's not all healthcare professionals.

My cousins baby was born with severely poorly due to her heavy drinking throughout the pregnancy shes now school age and has a lot of special needs and we have been told she will probably never live an independent life it is devastating I saw a lot of what went on when she was a baby (she is in the care of another family member now)

When I was last in having my dd I took myself to the canteen for a cuppa and a crafty cake (I was induced so before the medication kicked in) a girl saw me there and came over and started talking to me all about her baby that had been born a few days prior he was addicted to heroin and she had a lady from social services sat with the baby at all times. I wanted to much to be angry but I couldn't turn the girl away in that moment I sat and spoke to her for the best part of 3 hours and she told me all about her situation I asked her about the help she received and she said none.

Apologies if I was a little snippy this morning i was very nervous about my scan I've had my fair share of losses. I have also seen some things where babies have suffered due to the mothers choices. I really did feel at my booking appointment my midwife didn't believe me which is never a nice feeling it would just be so great to see the people who really need the help and support get it instead I get they have a job to do and I'm definately grateful to the nhs for the amazing work they do. Perhaps my midwife had an off day I wont know until I've had a few more appointments let's hope so eh?

Also I could be wrong but i thought it was the law to have a CO monitor? I have 2 one upstairs and one down never had any problems since I've been here luckily.

I also love burning candles! I will be sure to give that a miss!

You can decline what you like, no tests or procedures in pregnancy are compulsory

If you make the informed choice not do something then that's up to you.

I do understand that now but I wasn't aware of it at the time because it was a new test and I was never given the option of declining I just did it without questioning but I think the whole thing just took me by surprise. I can't believe how much some stuff has changed in a matter of a few years but that's certainly not a complaint I couldn't fault the hospital today they were great and I was offered things I've never been offered before i finally feel relaxed after the last 8 weeks of nerves and stressing more relaxed then i did in my pregnancy with my daughter. It was nice to have it fully explained today for the first time and ofcourse this thread has helped whether people agree with me or not i do value the opinions and responses given definately helpful!

Just what I was thinking. I never had this test. But wouldn't have a problem if I had. People will find anything to moan and be offended about.

Agree with every word of this.

These tests didn't exist when I was last pregnant, but I'd have happily agreed to this one (have never even tried a cigarette, so I'm holier than thou, OP).