Declining all routine pregnancy test...has anyone done it?

**1+1=5** · 03-01-2010 16:53

Has anyone out there declined the two blood tests and swab? how did the hospital staff react? I'm not good with people patronizing me or 'telling me off', i get cross or emotional

eta: i'm NOT interested in comments about why i should have the tests done or comments that do not address my question...open your own thread if you want to discuss something else

**Mrs Mermaid** · 03-01-2010 17:04

What tests exactly do you mean and why do you not want them?

**sweetseven** · 03-01-2010 17:05

They just kept writing me out new referrals for the tests, and I just didn't follow up on them.

**Starlet** · 03-01-2010 17:10

Last time around I declined the glucose test and strep B swabs. I was stupid enough to go have the NT scan and got a high result(1 in 5) and had an amnio, etc etc. Baby was totally fine and now he's a toddling 12 month old with no problems what so ever. I also declined the Vit K and hep B shots at birth.

This time around I have declined everything. I requested a ultrasound for dating at 9 weeks as my bleed had only just come back and I was breastfeeding, so I had no idea how far along I was. I also had the anatomy scan.

You'll have to be quite firm in what you want then you decline these things at the hospital and be prepared for them to try and guilt you into having the tests done.

I homebirthed the last time and plan to this time and my midwives have not been pushy at all. In fact they bring up the subject, hand over a ton of information about it, tell em to read it, have a chat to hubby and to just let them know at the next app if I wanted to still decline it. no questions asked.

**1+1=5** · 03-01-2010 17:21

Originally Posted by Mrs Mermaid

What tests exactly do you mean and why do you not want them?

i'm referring to the routine blood test, the glucose challenge test and the strep b swab test. why don't i want them? i find them to be very invasive and in my case, unnecessary. i find these tests very stressful and if i don't need them then there is no reason for me to stress about them.

**1+1=5** · 03-01-2010 17:23

Originally Posted by sweetseven

They just kept writing me out new referrals for the tests, and I just didn't follow up on them.

lol...i think i might do that, rather than arguing with them. if they question me as to why i haven't done them then i guess i can address it then

**1+1=5** · 03-01-2010 17:27

Originally Posted by Starlet

Last time around I declined the glucose test and strep B swabs. I was stupid enough to go have the NT scan and got a high result(1 in 5) and had an amnio, etc etc. Baby was totally fine and now he's a toddling 12 month old with no problems what so ever. I also declined the Vit K and hep B shots at birth.

This time around I have declined everything. I requested a ultrasound for dating at 9 weeks as my bleed had only just come back and I was breastfeeding, so I had no idea how far along I was. I also had the anatomy scan.

You'll have to be quite firm in what you want then you decline these things at the hospital and be prepared for them to try and guilt you into having the tests done.

I homebirthed the last time and plan to this time and my midwives have not been pushy at all. In fact they bring up the subject, hand over a ton of information about it, tell em to read it, have a chat to hubby and to just let them know at the next app if I wanted to still decline it. no questions asked.

i wish i had the confidence to homebirth but i had some form of intervention with both boys and it would scare me to not have that on hand. home birth would be so good.

last time i declined the glucose challenge and they had a 'chat' with me about why i should have it done etc. they even got to a point where they said if i didn't have it done then they would treat me as though i had GD....to shut them up i had the test done, came back negative and i was able to resume midwife care. i hope to God that i don't have another big bub so that they can leave me alone.

**Rebdot** · 03-01-2010 17:29

There is a lady on here that has declined all tests including ultrasounds,

I wont say who she is, maybe she will post, but I like her idea, I wish I had not worried about u/s and just got a 4D one a 28 weeks and thats it.

In my 1st pregnancy I didnt do the glucose test or the swab.

The swab is important though I believe, babies do die, thats why they do it.

**helenwombat** · 03-01-2010 17:36

My mum has been asking me why I keep having to have all these tests - she thinks they're completely unecessary too (healthy babies are born in 3rd world fields, for goodness sake). I also know a lot of mothers who have been very stressed with iffy results from the tests & of course were worrying for nothing as the babies were fine. It really annoys me the way hospitals/docs/midwives feel they can patronise you & tell you what you need/don't need. I have been a nanny for babies for 10 years & have already disagreed with some of the things the midwives have told me I 'must' do. I wish I had more guts to be firm with them, but so far I have just nodded and smiled sweetly (& slagged them off to my dp after)!

**1+1=5** · 03-01-2010 17:40

Originally Posted by Rebdot

There is a lady on here that has declined all tests including ultrasounds,

I wont say who she is, maybe she will post, but I like her idea, I wish I had not worried about u/s and just got a 4D one a 28 weeks and thats it.

In my 1st pregnancy I didnt do the glucose test or the swab.

The swab is important though I believe, babies do die, thats why they do it.

my issue with the swab is that you can be positive one week and negative the next. i could test positive on the test but be negative by the time the birth rolls around. knwo what i mean? its stressful and it seems like an unreliable test to have.

i don't mind the two ultrasounds as they are not invasive, i will do those.