Blood test worried hygiene.

[Luclou]

Hi all,
I saw my community midwife this morning and did my bloods to check for antibodies.
When she did the test she didn't clean the surface with any wipe or antiseptic., she just put the needle in. All other blood tests I've had have always wiped it.
Would this cause any infection to me or baby or harm, I'm 30 weeks pregnant and already high risk pregnancy.
Thank you.

Impossible to say, hopefully not. She really should have cleaned the area....I've never had a blood draw or vaccination without the skin being disinfected first.
Best person to ask would be her!

No it won't harm you.

I often have blood taken and I’d say they wipe it maybe 50% of the time.

I'm not sure I can ever remember being wiped before blood being taken! Maybe I have been, I literally just haven't ever taken notice of it. I'm sure I read on here in the past that it's not standard procedure for a normal blood draw anymore.

But either way, you'll be fine.

Up to date evidence shows no need to cleanse the area prior to performing venepuncture, unless visibly dirty. Using an alcohol wipe is fairly outdated.

I noticed this twice last week too. I had 28 week bloods and a glucose tolerance test a couple of days apart. For the bloods, I noticed that a swab wasn't used. I was shocked but didn't question it. When I went for the GTT, I noticed again no swabbing. I politely asked the nurse if they no longer swab and she explained that they don't unless the area is visible dirty. I asked if it would contaminate the sample and she said no, it doesn't. I'm a bit surprised too, if I'm honest!

During my last weeks of pregnancy I was having daily blood tests and they never wiped. I haven't had the skin wiped for years.

Yes , skin wiping is no longer done.

My yd doesn't have the alcohol wipes before blood being taken as it makes it sting when the needle goes in. I've had mixed experiences where some wipe with an alcohol wipe and some don't. I don't think it will cause you any problems

@Luclou I also worried about this recently and after doing some research it's absolutely fine:) the alcohol wipe it's more so that the SAMPLE is sterile vs preventing harm to you

I'm a nurse we don't wipe the skin any more when taking blood.

Nope, you don't need to wipe the skin. Its outdated advice. Some people will wipe because their practice is outdated or its their personal preference.

Why would you think that? If they did wipe it before, that would be so that your skin wouldn’t contaminate the injection, not because the injection would contaminate you, surely.