Lateral flow tests for birth partner

[Ched93]

I’m 39 weeks and the hospital I’m due to give birth at has introduced rapid lateral flow covid tests for all birth partners - you get results that indicate whether you may have covid within 30 minutes and if positive they have to go home and self isolate and arrange for a more accurate PCR test to be taken (which can take days).

This is seriously worrying me. It’s my first baby, I’m terrified of what labour will be like and how I’ll handle it if I had to be alone. I also do not want my husband to miss the birth of his first child. I live 2 hours away from my family and so couldn’t arrange for another birth partner to attend if my husbands test was positive (only other person I would consider having there is my mum anyway).

I’m also frustrated that this has been introduced when these tests have a reputation for not being accurate and a PCR test may come back negative! So I would potentially not have any support during labour & husband misses the birth for no reason - that would be seriously upsetting.

On the other hand I totally understand that they need to do everything possible to keep people safe from covid. My husband and I have been fiercely shielding so it’s unlikely he’ll have caught anything, just feeling like I don’t want to take the risk.

The test is optional, but I imagine there will be a lot of pressure on him to take it / we’ll feel awful saying no. But what would you do? I really want to be selfish in this situation - if he has no symptoms I would prefer he refuses the test. He’ll be wearing a mask & keeping distance anyway. Plus if he has it without symptoms it’s likely I’ll have it too and I won’t be wearing mask etc!

On the whole my hospital trust has been great throughout the pandemic in allowing one birth partner throughout labour, all scans etc. However I feel a bit annoyed that if I’d had my baby earlier when cases were worse but no testing was enforced I would have been able to have my husband there no questions asked, yet now when things are safer I may have to do it alone.

I explained my concern to my midwife and she understood that it was a difficult issue and did suggest he didn’t have to take the test, especially as we’re likely to just be in a private room in the birth centre the whole time. But I just feel so guilty about it! My mum has said we have to do it to protect others. What would you do? It’s all I can think about!

Appreciate your opinions.

We did a normal covid test at a test centre recently (assuming that's PCR) and the results came back on the same day. Obviously if your partner has Covid, that doesn't help much, but makes him missing the birth due to a false positive less likely.

Is it a single test they do? Or if it's negative do they do best of 3?

It might be worth asking your midwife what the procedure is. As it might put your mind at ease.

I understand your concerns as those tests are known to give a high percentage of false positives.

It’s just one single test on entry at the birth centre - they do not retest if it’s negative/positive. If positive you have to self isolate immediately.

Good to know the PCR test can come back on the same day but I don’t think testing centres are open 24 hours and I suppose labour could come at any time - I don’t want to be alone even at the early stages

What if you paid for a private test a day or two before your due date?

Unfortunately I don't agree in being selfish at this time - if everyone did that then covid would be rife within maternity wards and contribute to already severe staff shortages?

I gave birth to twins alone in January as it was an emergency and no time to get husband there

Can't your mum come down to stay with you around your due date - that way you will have someone there?

Also 99.9% of women's labour take longer than 2 hours so your mum could be on standby to travel down as soon as labour started just in case?

I think I’d refuse to test, knowing how unreliable they are. Birth only happens once and it would be awful if your partner missed it because of a false positive test. Even if he booked a PCR test straight away (if it was daytime) you’re still looking at minimum 12 hours until he gets a result. So the likelihood is he’d miss the birth and you’d be on your own. If it’s optional then say no and explain your reasoning is because of the high rate of false positives. You won’t be the only ones to say no.

I didn't know this was a thing, I'm in first trimester. My DH is a HCP and does the tests twice weekly at home. However I honestly think he would refuse in the circumstances you are describing due to fear of false positive. Maybe see if there's anything else that is a compromise like PP said PCR test - could one of these be done on sight and refuse the LFT? Obviously not instant results but they should come back within a couple of hours on site to provide reassurance for staff. Or regular PCR and/or LFT testing in the weeks leading up to your birth so you can at least reassure staff that the testing has been done 3 days prior so highly unlikely to now be positive etc. I wouldn't feel guilty about refusing this and I don't think they should put people in this situation in the first place.

Well if it’s optional and OH displaying no symptoms I would suggest he refuses it.

Can he work from home in the run up to due date to minimise contact with others?

My workplace of around 30 people have been testing twice weekly for months and haven't had a positive yet. It's something 1 in a 1000 false positive. So population scale it's a problem but individually it is unlikely.

Decline the test. Don’t tell your mum. Being alone in labour when you want your partner there sounds like it would be really upsetting for you. If there is a moment in life to think of yourself first, it’s while giving birth.

@Ched93

It’s just one single test on entry at the birth centre - they do not retest if it’s negative/positive. If positive you have to self isolate immediately.

Good to know the PCR test can come back on the same day but I don’t think testing centres are open 24 hours and I suppose labour could come at any time - I don’t want to be alone even at the early stages

Do they do the test once you're in active labor or before?

If before you should have plenty of time for your mum to travel down just in case. If it's once you're in active labour maybe call your mum once labour starts and get her to come to your house just incase.

I completely understand your worry and I don't think you are being selfish, especially as your concerns are about false positives rather than actual positives.

I can't imagine getting to the hospital and my husband being turned away. But I'm sure the midwifes in this situation would be really supportive.

Similar to what @RagzReturnsRebooted said, my team at work have been testing twice a week since December and have had no positives between us. You're more likely to get false negatives, if we get any symptoms we have to get a PCR as the lateral flow isn't considered reliable enough.

We are getting rapid tests with our local council for now for our own peace of mind. Our area would like you to do them once a week anyway. Due in 5 days.

In my workplace (a school) we’ve been testing all staff twice weekly and key worker kids that were in school also twice weekly.

We have over 1500 students returning to school this week and all have taken 2 tests each.

Not a single positive test.

I think they’re not that accurate but it’s more false negatives than false positives.

You aren’t supposed to take a test if you’ve had covid in the past 90 days as you could get a positive result, however as myself and a few colleagues are on the testing team we got one of the teachers to take one who we knew had tested positive only 9 days ago (posted it through his door) - negative result.

I really wouldn’t be concerned about yielding a positive result from one of these types of test. In my opinion the most worrying thing about them is creating a false sense of security among people who, having taken one and get a negative, assume they’re safe!

Slightly different in our hospital. If testing positive on arrival you labour in one section which is a designated Covid zone, if negative you labour in the designated negative zone. Nobody gives birth alone.

Have you triple checked the written policy? Many people can interpret a policy in the wrong way.

The lateral flow tests rarely give a false positive but often gives false negatives. Sadly my organisation had an outbreak of Covid back in January, the only false results were of people who actually had Covid and later tested positive on a PCR test. One colleague tested negative on a lateral flow and positive on a PCR done 5 hours later!

If it's optional just refuse or if you can self isolate and guarantee you don't have covid then I'd do that running up to your due date. In all honesty, I'd do this anyway as much as possible as birth it hard enough without being sick with Covid or even a mild snuffles.

Good luck!!

Look at ur local council website, most areas now are offering lateral tests to anyone who wants them no reason needed, just have to book online pop along get the results within the hr, you could maybe do this once a week until baby is born and just be very careful not to come into contact with others.
I would also think that you will be tested to either a lateral flow test but most likely a pcr as you will be classed as an inpatient and if you do go to the ward after baby is born they will want to keep covid and no covid patients separate