Do maternity wards give hep b injections to newborns without telling?

[mamadadawahwah]

When i had my son over 2 yrs ago, i had a very strict birth plan. I stated no injections vitamin k or otherwise, no this and no that, blah blah. I ended up with a caesarian due to lack of progress and to be honest, was out of it when baby finally "Emerged". I cant even remember how long it was before they brought baby to me.

Do new mums have to be asked for permission to give their newborns injections or do they do it as a matter of course. Do they think, oh, well we will do this, cause mommy didnt actually say no!?

My son was a bit jaundiced at birth and i am going to be very very angry if i found out that he got a shot when my permission was not sought. this has been playing on my mind for ages. My son now has autism and though i dont attribute a shot to the autism, i still want to know what if anything might have been injected into my newborn baby boy. I intend to get a copy of the medical records to check over some other stuff. The birth was not very nice, very prolonged and i was very very overdue.

I was asked when DD1 needed a injection as she was premature and they done it straight away. I really don't think they would inject your baby without asking

No, afaik they are only just considering bringing in Hepatitus injections now, not sure how they work in newborns, but hep B require a course in adults. My DS definately didn't have it nearly a year ago. What reason do you have to suspect that it may have been given?

I'm pretty sure that you have to be asked first. I know that I was adamant about ds not getting anything but vitamin K, although I know what you mean about the c-section. I was pretty out of it afterwards as well.

Yeah, i had hep b myself, it was a course of 3 over 3 months. But i read that in the states, babies get hep b at birth. I really cant remember what went on during the birthing. I was in labor a long time and couldnt move to see what was going on with baby. Its encouraging to know they dont use hep b here yet though.

anybody know how hard it is to get ones medical records from the maternity hospital. I would really like to see what they "did" to me. I had a horrendous labor 22 hours and at the end during the c-section they were actually pushing baby back up the birth canal. All i could see was this midwife, with her arms half way up inside me pushing like hell. I think i blanked most of it and dont know what really happened with baby.

Yes, in the states it is standard to give it. I had told them beforehand not to.

In australia I had to sign a permission form.

Forgot to add permission forms for hep b, vitamin k and heel prick!!! Obviously insurance companies must run our hospitals!!!

Getting hold of any medical records is simple. You simply ring the Patient Records Dept at the hospital you want info from and ask them which particular bit of paper you need to fill in. They might say it's ok just to send a letter giving all patient details e.g. name, DOB, address (and address at time of being patient if you have moved and not used hospital since/advised them of change).

Hep B isn't given 'as standard' in the UK though AFAIK although perhaps it would be given if the mother was a carrier? I know it is usual to give it in other countries though such as Australia.

Re permission: you might find it is presented in a very matter of fact way e.g. It is standard procedure to give all babies born in this hospital an intramuscular injection of Vit K. Is that ok with you?

Surely your son wouldn't have been given a shot for hep b for being a bit jaundiced though? Newborn jaundice is v common and usually sorts itself out or is treated with phototherapy.

No they don't. It would be assault let alone they wouldn't dream of it. And hep B in a newborn without a liver screen first? No no no no no they wouldn't.

I will proberably be shot for this, but are you looking for a reason for your son's problems?? I have 2 disabled kids (both have Cerebral palsy) now I know with DS it happened in pregnancy, but DD1's brain damage happened after delieverly, yes I believe that the hospital failed her in their care, but I can't go looking for reasons because it could just be one of those things and I can't put myself through the heartache of knowing the 'what ifs' IYKWIM.

no mmddww they won't have. Vitamin K will prob have been given but usually that's discussed antenatally.

SM I agree with what you think.
Mmddww I hope things work out ok.

And TBH, even if they did inject your baby, you will find it very hard to take it further. My dd1 was in SCBU for 5 weeks, when she was born I stated no blood, when she was 4 weeks old, I went to see her, and found she had been moved from the nursery to high dependancy. While bf her the doctor came and saw me, and said 'oooo she gave us all a fright last night, which is why she is in here, we gave her a blood tranfusion, she is fine now'!! I sought advice and was told that while the child is under the hospital's care, they can do anything that they deem 'life saving' without premission.

SM, a hep B jab wouldn't come under that category though, as it would not be given to save a life.

I'm sorry that happened to your little girl, I do understand the frustrations. In future, make sure such requests are written formerly and re-iterate it as often as you can. That is what happens with jehovah witnesses for example. I looked after a chap last year who's family and he were JW. His blood levels were so very very low for days. He was in a coma, unable to say if he wanted his life to be saved or not. He died, slowly. It's very hard to stand and watch, although of course, all his wishes were hopefully met.

I stated no blood as I was raised as a JW, and some things I find hard to break. I believe that blood is wrong (I know it isn't, but thats my view) I don't think about it now, until something like this comes up.
I believe that the man you treated, would have been happy that you repected his wishes.

There is absolutely no way your child would be given an injection on the ward without your permsission.

Babies in special care have medications that may not be described specifically ie parents will be told they are on antibiotics but not necessarily told in depth what they are (unless the parent wants to know of course)

As far as blood transfusions for children are concerned when parents are JW, the hospital would apply to the court to treat if need be. Parents cannot make the decision to end someone else's life though they are entitled to refuse treatment for themselves.

I had a very long and interesting conversation with 2 JW at my door one day. I cannot agree with their philosophy although I do understand it, and they came back with info about how to treat someone with a very low HB without resorting to blood transfusion.

My DS3 and DD required blood as babies because of my antibodies. DD had to have her blood changed (exchange transfusions ) 3 times. She might have survived without them, but she would have suffered severe brain damage if she had.

Very often preterm babies need to be given blood - it is a very difficult situation though.

I agree with everyone else. Ds1 was born after a long labour (40 hrs) and was later transferred to the SCBU with dehydration and jaundice as he had refused to feed since birth. The only injection he had was the Vit K and that was only after I'd signed a form giving permission.

They usually test the mother for Hep B during pregnancy so it's unlikely that a baby would be given Hep B routinely and certainly not without permission.

Mears that what I was told,
I am sorry for the hijack, didn't mean to, just wanted to put my story across,

Here in Aus HepB is part of the vac schedule BUT I was still asked whether I wanted the first one done before dd2 left hospital - in fact I had to give written consent.

Dd1 never had Hep B ( born in the UK) nor was she given anything else without our permission( whilst she was in SCBU?ICU) - written or verbal - including blood - may have been that we were there at the time and so they bothered to check. Dd1 is now on a catch up schedule for Hep B here in Aus.

SM - didn't see your post as a hijack. Transfusing your baby should have been disussed with you - it was not an automtaic right to tranfuse your baby without recourse to court.