Paying for private Strep B test - card details?

[Yintan]

I ordered a test kit to get tested privately for Strep B, just so it is one less thing to worry about, but I hadn't realized it was a thing until recently so I have left it a bit late (I'm 37 weeks today).

The package came, and it says that the two methods of payment are cheque or writing in your card details. Unfortunately, I don't have a cheque book, and I feel uneasy about plainly writing all of my debit card details out on paper and sending them off in the post. Am I just being overly cautious about this? I feel that there's nothing to stop someone taking as much money as they wanted out of the account if they have all my details, especially if it got lost in the post or something.

Also, any time I make a payment with my card details (e.g. online) I have to approve the payment on my banking app within ten minutes and so I'm not sure the payment will even work, assuming the method for them to take the payment is similar to this.

I'm considering whether I should run up to my mum's house and ask her to write a cheque for me instead, but she's working late until next weekend and I'll be 38 weeks by then!

I personally wouldn't send bank details like that.

How come you aren't having one on NHS? I asked my midwife for one and she said I'll have one at 36 weeks.

I did it with my last pregnancy. If it was through the Strep B charity link on their website, it’s genuine. Doctors Laboratory I think they’re called.

Mine was positive, so I’m glad I found out.

You can get it through your midwife/consultant (I was offered theirs this time around) but it is not as accurate.

Just sent mine off last week for this pregnancy.

To add you can get it through the midwife/consultant if they deem it necessary. It isn’t routine in the uk to offer it.

That's really interesting, I was planning to buy a test through the strep b charity too. How long did it take for the test to arrive, out of interest?

Lots of things like magazines and catalogues used to ask for card details like that I think? Very outdated though. I've never written a cheque!

You can email them and ask to phone up and do it over the phone instead. I agree that i wouldn't want to send bank details over the internet.

Please do it though. Like you, i got to 37w and realised i hadn't had the test (had been covid isolating for 10days and just hadn't got organised.) I went into labour shortly after 37w but before getting the test results. DD developed GBS sepsis and spent 2 weeks in NICU. Luckily, she is ok with no long term impacts (we think) but i have a lot of regrets that it could have so easily gone the other way, all for the sake of sorting out that simple test.

@elm26 the hospitals that are offering the test as routine are part of a huge trial to see whether it reduces the numbers of GBS sepsis / meningitis / pneumonia. Most hopsitals still do not offer it. Some other hospitals are part of another trial of a GBS vaccine, which would be an amazing development. The GBSS charity give good updates of the trials on their website / socials.

Can you print a cheque at the bank? I know you used to be able to but not sure about now. If not I’d give them all call

Sorry for the delay in updating this thread - I managed to find a family member who had a cheque book and so have sent it off now.

To answer a few questions:

The test only took a couple of days to arrive. They provide return postage so you just do the swabs and stick it in the postbox. The instructions in the package are very clear.

Where I am, strep B tests aren't routinely offered on the NHS, unless presumably there is a reason to test. I actually had no idea that there were places that did test, but it's good to hear and hopefully means in future they will test more. My understanding is that in other countries they do test for it.

The lab is Doctors Laboratory and I believe they are a legit company. My worry was more about having the details written on paper and going into the postbox, in case it, for example, got lost in the post. I feel fine paying online via secure websites, but just writing my details down with pen and paper felt a bit odd so a cheque seemed safer.

Thank you for all the replies. Hopefully I will get the results soon!