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Antenatal tests

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Original poster

Blood test taken without consent

40 replies

ThePaleGreenPants · 30/11/2023 17:21

Hi,
Just wondering if you would take it further. My midwife called saying that my blood test has come back, I opted out of testing for hep B because the last 2 pregnancies it caused me a lot of anxiety and stress. The first results came back positive but second negative, so they were false positives but it caused me so much worry.
this time around I opted out of getting the hep B done because I knew what was going to happen and didn’t want the stress and the worry to happen again.
Got a call from midwife and she said they did the test without my consent. The results were what I knew were going to be which of course has made me stressed again. I know I don’t have it but I’m just that type of person where my mind doesn’t stop racing.
should I take it further??

OP posts:

endofthelinefinally · 01/12/2023 08:45

Do you really mean Hep B? That is a very serious, potentially fatal liver disease, transmitted by blood and body fluids. Extremely dangerous and requires a red flag to protect HCPs and contacts.
Do you mean Strep B? Different thing altogether and would mean a different situation and conversation.

endofthelinefinally · 01/12/2023 08:49

I just wondered because you said you treat it? Sorry if I misunderstood, it sounds strange.

Cookerhood · 01/12/2023 08:50

The presence of anti-HBs (surface antibodies) following a new acute infection generally indicates recovery and a person is then protected (or “immune”) from re-infection with hepatitis B. Anti-HBc (core antigen) or HBcAb (hepatitis B core antibody) – this remains positive indefinitely as a marker of past HBV infection.
Chronic hepatitis B often has no symptoms until liver damage has occurred.
It would be extremely unlikely to get 5 false positives for hepatitis B. You may well have had an infection in the past but cleared it. It's worth finding out.

endofthelinefinally · 01/12/2023 09:01

Cookerhood · 01/12/2023 08:50

I would definitely want to know. I am sorry, it must be stressful, but your health and your baby's is the priority. Ethically speaking though, tests and treatments require consent.

AussieManque · 01/12/2023 09:15

@endofthelinefinally isn't strep B tested via a vaginal swab, usually near the end of the pregnancy? OP had a blood test.

DrFoxtrot · 01/12/2023 09:16

I don't know if it's the same in your area, but local to me the blood request will have been a defined set of tests all together on the same request form, generated electronically.

Rather than just writing next to it that Hep B was not to be tested, the MW should have raised a whole new electronic request without the Hep B. It's a bit of a pain to do but if you don't, you run the risk of the lab just scanning the form and doing everything as they might not read any handwritten amendments. Similar occurred in our practice and we reminded staff to make sure they do the whole request again.

endofthelinefinally · 01/12/2023 11:01

AussieManque · 01/12/2023 09:15

@endofthelinefinally isn't strep B tested via a vaginal swab, usually near the end of the pregnancy? OP had a blood test.

Yes you are correct. My mistake.

WandaWonder · 01/12/2023 11:05

Does your baby matter to you? Nothing you are saying helps your baby

Flopsythebunny · 01/12/2023 11:38

ThePaleGreenPants · 30/11/2023 18:01

Of course my baby is priority number 1. The problem I have is they didn’t listen to what I wanted! I know I don’t have hep b, the midwife knows, the problem is that they took the test without my consent!
I have 5 children, don’t you think I would know by now if I had it. if I have it, I treat it and baby but I knew what the results were going to be so I opted out.
the fact the hospital did it anyways is what makes me annoyed.

After so many kids you should be acting like an adult. You know you don't have hepb so are just looking for something to complain about

Original poster

ThePaleGreenPants · 01/12/2023 12:53

I spoke to the midwife and she said the same thing last pregnancy, I do not have hep b.
I am acting like an adult. I asked for it to not be taken bc I knew what the results were going to be. I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety. Very high anxiety.
the midwife was on my side to not get it done because we both knew it would cause me a lot of anxiety and stress which may I remind you is bad for the baby, so yes I am looking after the baby and my own health. I’m pissed off that they have now put me through this when it could have been avoided and I could be enjoying my pregnancy. Instead I have this sinking feeling and this anxiety which I can’t control! Reason I am on medication for it.
all I was asking was should I take it further because it has messed with my mental health which I didn’t need and they could have prevented.
so thank you all for your input, I am going to try to enjoy my pregnancy now and move on

OP posts:

sugarandsweetener · 01/12/2023 15:38

**Reason I am on medication for it.
all I was asking was should I take it further because it has messed with my mental health which I didn’t need and they could have prevented. **

To pursue will make it worse in all likelihood

sugarandsweetener · 01/12/2023 15:43

will your baby have the routine vaccine against hepb at 6, 8 and 12 weeks?

ludocris · 01/12/2023 18:49

WandaWonder · 01/12/2023 11:05

Does your baby matter to you? Nothing you are saying helps your baby

Dick comment

ThePeachIsSoUnusual · 01/12/2023 22:33

Regardless of all the other things addressed on this thread about why, in my opinion, you absolutely should complain and not allow yourself to be fobbed off; this should not be happening. You have a right to decline and for that to be taken seriously. They are also rolling out opt-out HIV testing into more A&Es and there's already an article in the newspaper about someone who wasn't asked and was tested without his consent and then surprised to be rung with the result (positive) and so on - the article wasn't even about the lack of consent, which jumped out at me. I am in favour of these initiatives but only if done properly. The NHS overall is hopeless about consent (and capacity): underasking, overasking, asking the wrong person, or spouting loads of general rubbish about it. Many staff haven't the foggiest - it's probably not their fault. It's also hopeless when it comes to not making lot and lots and lots of little mistakes and then trying to say it doesn't matter because on that occasion it wasn't a life-threatening or life-changing error. Yes, it does matter.

ThePeachIsSoUnusual · 01/12/2023 22:39

I don't necessarily agree that pursuing it would definitely cause more problems to the OP's mental health. Making a change that helps you next time, or helps other people, not to have something happen that shouldn't happen, and potentially improving processes that go further than that one specific error, can be empowering. And empowerment is good for mental health. Perhaps OP you can get the midwife on side to explain WHY you are going to pursue it, based upon the above, and why you think that is important.

There seem to be too many people on this thread being dismissive of the fact that it was done without consent. This happens to patients a lot, and particularly pregnant women and all this "but what about the baby" stuff on top. Pregnant women with capacity are allowed to make choices that are different to yours, even if a professional thinks they are unwise choices - we lose that principle and we're in trouble.

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