Homebirth and Group B Strep

5 replies

annobal · 24/01/2007 10:27

I know this subject has been done to death so I appologise in advance.

I would really like to have a homebirth - my 2 previous labours I was strapped onto a bed on my back so not great experiences, the 2nd with IVABs for GBS.

This time around I have an independent midwife and I am seriously considering not having the ABs and having the baby at home. The odds of the baby cotracting an infection are something like 1 in 7000. These odds seem quite low to me. Baby and I would be monitored by the MW a couple of times a day.

Would I be mad not to have the ABs? Has anyone else made this conscious decision?

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themildmanneredjanitor · 24/01/2007 10:32

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DaisyMOO · 24/01/2007 10:37

It may also be possible to have antibiotics at home if you wanted. Have you found the homebirth website because there's a section on strep B and home birth on there.

Do you know whether or not you are still Strep B positive as it can be a transient infection and just because you were in your first pregnancy doesn't mean you still are. The tests the NHS use have a high false -ve rate but there is a private test available which is more accurate and might show that you are -ve anyway now.

bubblebell1 · 24/01/2007 10:50

i dont mean to scare you but my mum had her last baby without antibiotics and even tho risk is low my sis still contracted and died from the infection. it is the worst case scenario but because there was a delay in treating her with the drugs she never recovered.
i understand that you have your own wants and needs but surely even a small chance warrants the use of antibiotics. just that i wouldnt want you to feel the pain of such a loss my mum did.

dont mean to scare you.

hth

Original poster

annobal · 24/01/2007 18:57

Bubblebell I'm so sorry for your mother (and you).

It is a difficult one. DS1 was born at 31 weeks and as I wasn't tested until pg with DS2, DS1 was fine.

I think that if I do decide not to take the abs it would only be if the baby is born after 37 weeks (in which case I would be having baby in hospital anyway) and waters not broken for more than 18 hours.

Thanks for your help!

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mumofjakub · 25/01/2007 12:36

check this web: www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=20

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