just back from MW at 35 weeks, got my Strep B swab

[almeria]

Hi All,
Just came back from my 35 week check at midwife. Everything is fine with little man, bump is measuring well, had another blood test for iron as have been taking iron tablets for 10 weeks to bump up my score of 10.2.
I also asked for a strep B test, which she consented to with no problems, will get the results next week.
I mention this because many ladies on here have found it hard to get the test done on the NHS, but I had no problem as I was quite adamant I wanted one at my last couple of visits.
MW still couldn't tell position of baby, he was breech at 32 week scan, have another scan next week, so will know for sure then.
Have decided against an ECV if it is offered then, I don't want drastic manipulation to turn him.
Fingers crossed all will be fine!
Hope everyone is feeling good today... x

 

[Lisa_85]

I think im looking ahead as im only in Tri 2, what is a strep B test? or and ECV?

Happy to hear all is well though

x

 

[scottishlassie]

Strep b is a type of urine infection. I tested posted and had to take anti biotics for 5 days, and when I go into labour I have to have a intravenous drip injection thing with anti biotics again just incase it's came back. Apparently it's really common. I didn't have to do a special test, it was noticed in my urine sample I gave at mw appt. Xx

 

[spice]

glad you got the strep b test!

i asked my mw if she would do one, she said not unless i had protein in my urine at next appointment (which is this fri) but i've had it in there for the last 2 visits and when i had it at the first one she said she's send a sample off if i had it a second time! my mw is a pain in the ass and i can't wait to not have to see her! (sorry ranting there!)

good luck with your scan next week, hope baby has shifted for you by then

 

[HeppiBean]

I have my 35 weeks appointment tomorrow... I don't really know anything about Strep B but do you think it would be worth asking for the test?

I don't blame you for not wanting ECV... I've always said that if she somehow spins round again I'd decline it... Don't like the thought of something that drastic x

 

[scottishlassie]

You give a urine sample at every mw appt hun and it will be tested. If your appts tomoro then if anything is picked up they will say. I doubt you have to ask for a test unless your mw appt isn't til ages away or something, as you shud give a sample anyway at the appts xx

 

[almeria]

You give a urine sample at every mw appt hun and it will be tested. If your appts tomoro then if anything is picked up they will say. I doubt you have to ask for a test unless your mw appt isn't til ages away or something, as you shud give a sample anyway at the appts xx

actually strep b is a bacteria which grows in the vagina, and you test it by doing a swab (using a stick inserted inside).
many women carry the bacteria but it is quite dangerous to pregnant ladies if they have it during labour because you can pass it on to baby and there is a small risk of baby getting pneumonia or even meningitis.
if you are positive, you take antibiotics during labour.
it is worth googling strep b, because it has the possibility to be quite serious.

 

[almeria]

glad you got the strep b test!

i asked my mw if she would do one, she said not unless i had protein in my urine at next appointment (which is this fri) but i've had it in there for the last 2 visits and when i had it at the first one she said she's send a sample off if i had it a second time! my mw is a pain in the ass and i can't wait to not have to see her! (sorry ranting there!)

good luck with your scan next week, hope baby has shifted for you by then

thanks, i hope he has shifted too!
your MW seems quite obstructive, as you have every right to a strep b swab if you desire one, it has nothing to do with having protein in your urine as far as i am aware!

 

[almeria]

I have my 35 weeks appointment tomorrow... I don't really know anything about Strep B but do you think it would be worth asking for the test?

I don't blame you for not wanting ECV... I've always said that if she somehow spins round again I'd decline it... Don't like the thought of something that drastic x

i would google strep b, have a look at the possible risks, and then decide if you wish to be tested. it is free on the nhs, but some midwives are suprisingly reluctant to test it, god knows why!

 

[LuciaLeek]

I had my swab at 36 week appointment and got the all clear at last appointment. It's pretty standard to be offered it here at 36 weeks and think it's terrible that some MWs in the UK are reluctant to do it.
A girl we know went into labour at 35 weeks and it was found that she had Strep B. She ended up in C section as it was too risky to deliver baby vaginally as she'd had no antibiotics to counteract Strep B.
The baby was fine, although a little poorly at first and investigations are being made as to why she wasn't informed about Strep B before hand. I know it was early labour, so not a lot they can do if they don't test until 35/36 weeks but the fact that the hospital didn't even make her aware of it is awful. It really does shock me that something like this is just swept under the carpet as if it's nothing!
Good for you almeria for sticking to your guns! Hope your results come back clear xxx

 

[scottishlassie]

You give a urine sample at every mw appt hun and it will be tested. If your appts tomoro then if anything is picked up they will say. I doubt you have to ask for a test unless your mw appt isn't til ages away or something, as you shud give a sample anyway at the appts xx

actually strep b is a bacteria which grows in the vagina, and you test it by doing a swab (using a stick inserted inside).
many women carry the bacteria but it is quite dangerous to pregnant ladies if they have it during labour because you can pass it on to baby and there is a small risk of baby getting pneumonia or even meningitis.
if you are positive, you take antibiotics during labour.
it is worth googling strep b, because it has the possibility to be quite serious.

Ah strange, even though my midwife phoned me after I gave just a urine sample and said it had been sent away because there was a small trace of blood in my urine and I had a urine infection called strep b - which worried me as I've had urine infections before but not one with a name hah.

I've never gave any swabs at the mw appts. I googled it straight after I was told lol.

 

[spice]

my mw said that as its a bacteria, if you have it it shows up in your urine as its all so closely linked! don't mind what sort of test they would give me!

my mw is a pain in the back side! she's reluctant to give me information about anything i ask! and even forgot to check my blood results at 28 week appointment, had to wait till 31 week appointment to find out the results! think i'm going to demand that i get the strep b test, though i have a feeling she'll say no! if she does i want it on my notes so i can make a formal complaint if anything were to happen!

 

[Bluebell]

I was planning of paying for this test after seeing Dr Chris on this morning a while ago... apparently you send for the test and then pay around £30 when you send it back, then you can get results via text and/or post.

Think I've left it too late now

 

[almeria]

I was planning of paying for this test after seeing Dr Chris on this morning a while ago... apparently you send for the test and then pay around £30 when you send it back, then you can get results via text and/or post.

Think I've left it too late now

It's not too late, your doctor can do it, as well as MW, and as your status at delivery is the most important, doing it now would be fine, it takes a week to get results though.... so maybe do it today hahahaha!
oh, and it is free on the NHS, you just need to insist

 

[almeria]

my mw said that as its a bacteria, if you have it it shows up in your urine as its all so closely linked! don't mind what sort of test they would give me!

my mw is a pain in the back side! she's reluctant to give me information about anything i ask! and even forgot to check my blood results at 28 week appointment, had to wait till 31 week appointment to find out the results! think i'm going to demand that i get the strep b test, though i have a feeling she'll say no! if she does i want it on my notes so i can make a formal complaint if anything were to happen!

it's a shame that care seems to be so varied, at the end of the day, you have the right to request the test, or to be made aware of any results, information to do with your pregnancy!
i am lucky that my midwife listens to me, and is very thorough and generally a nice lady!

 

[almeria]

You give a urine sample at every mw appt hun and it will be tested. If your appts tomoro then if anything is picked up they will say. I doubt you have to ask for a test unless your mw appt isn't til ages away or something, as you shud give a sample anyway at the appts xx

actually strep b is a bacteria which grows in the vagina, and you test it by doing a swab (using a stick inserted inside).
many women carry the bacteria but it is quite dangerous to pregnant ladies if they have it during labour because you can pass it on to baby and there is a small risk of baby getting pneumonia or even meningitis.
if you are positive, you take antibiotics during labour.
it is worth googling strep b, because it has the possibility to be quite serious.

Ah strange, even though my midwife phoned me after I gave just a urine sample and said it had been sent away because there was a small trace of blood in my urine and I had a urine infection called strep b - which worried me as I've had urine infections before but not one with a name hah.

I've never gave any swabs at the mw appts. I googled it straight after I was told lol.

did you get antibiotics to sort it out?

 

[almeria]

I had my swab at 36 week appointment and got the all clear at last appointment. It's pretty standard to be offered it here at 36 weeks and think it's terrible that some MWs in the UK are reluctant to do it.
A girl we know went into labour at 35 weeks and it was found that she had Strep B. She ended up in C section as it was too risky to deliver baby vaginally as she'd had no antibiotics to counteract Strep B.
The baby was fine, although a little poorly at first and investigations are being made as to why she wasn't informed about Strep B before hand. I know it was early labour, so not a lot they can do if they don't test until 35/36 weeks but the fact that the hospital didn't even make her aware of it is awful. It really does shock me that something like this is just swept under the carpet as if it's nothing!
Good for you almeria for sticking to your guns! Hope your results come back clear xxx

i absolutely agree!
why so many women are unaware of strep b is terribly worrying, and worse still, then getting fobbed off by MW when they do ask for testing.. it should be automatically done and talked about during consultations.
i hope i get a negative result too, but at least it is easily treated if not x

 

[Bluebell]

Mmm I'm seeing mw tomorrow, so I will ask her - Thanks

 

[scottishlassie]

Yeah I did get anti biotics, just a normal 5 day course. But it's in my notes now that I have to get the intravenous injection when I go into labour. Because the test to see if you have strep B takes 24 hours, and obviously don't want to risk it if it's came back so I get the antibiotics again regardless. Apparently it's really common and can come back even after you've taken the antibiotics. The main thing is I'm getting this injection anyway x

 

[spice]

my mw said that as its a bacteria, if you have it it shows up in your urine as its all so closely linked! don't mind what sort of test they would give me!

my mw is a pain in the back side! she's reluctant to give me information about anything i ask! and even forgot to check my blood results at 28 week appointment, had to wait till 31 week appointment to find out the results! think i'm going to demand that i get the strep b test, though i have a feeling she'll say no! if she does i want it on my notes so i can make a formal complaint if anything were to happen!

it's a shame that care seems to be so varied, at the end of the day, you have the right to request the test, or to be made aware of any results, information to do with your pregnancy!
i am lucky that my midwife listens to me, and is very thorough and generally a nice lady!

so my appointment was yesterday, and it was one of the worst i've had she always runs behind on her appointments and so i decided to start booking my appointments for the morning instead of the afternoon, well my appointment was at 10am and i didn't get called in till 10:35 and she didn't even apologise for making me wait! i asked about the strep b test (for the second time) and she said she'd see if my urine had protein in it for a 3rd time . . . which it didn't and so she said no to doing the test . . . wtf?!? she hasn't put on my notes if baby is engaged or not, and yet to feel his head she had to press seriously hard (actually hurt and i was wincing and she didn't care!) and her finger and thumb were well below my pelvic line! i feel she's quite useless and think once i know i wont have to see her any more i'll write a letter for complaint to the surgery she works at! oh and i was out in less than 10 mins!