GBS Screening

I had a midwife appointment on Monday (we’re down to every week now). She did a blood draw and asked about GBS testing. I wasn’t prepared for it, as I had it in my mind it was done at 37 weeks. Casey and I hadn’t discussed it, so we decided to wait until next appointment (the home visit) to let her know. This must have happened with my last baby, too, because she did the test at the home visit last time. We’re thinking that we’ll have the test done and *maybe* do the other home remedy (the one she says she’s seen results on), but no antibiotics. The fact is that *for me,* I don’t consider GBS that dangerous. I know it can be, and I personally know a midwife who almost died 3 times (and so did her last 3 babies) due to GBS infection. So I’m not saying I don’t think it can be bad. I just have had the flora (not the infection itself) the last 2 births (the second one without any antibiotics) and it has not caused problems for either me or my babies.

So, one may wonder why, if we’re not going to do antibiotics, we would go ahead with the test. It is simply my “curious” and “researchy” side that wants to know. If we have a healthy, no-problems baby, some may claim it was because everything was “fine,” medically speaking, and there will be no way to know afterward if I was GBS positive at the time. I assume that I’ll test positive again, and I imagine I’m just a carrier and nothing will come of it, and I think that’s a legitimate thing to consider. The fact is that *most* babies are not in danger of complications re: GBS, and even fewer mothers are. The routine testing and administration of antibiotics seems to be unnecessary.

Of course, my midwife keeps a close eye on babies and moms when there is a positive GBS result, but she is very thorough as it is and I do not believe an infection would escape her notice, even without a positive test. Another posting altogether would be all the reasons why we feel very confident with home birth with our midwife: her excellent credentials and experience.