I have had such a hard time with my midwife and hospital over GBS. In early pregnancy 8 weeks the near by hospital took some swabs and a few months later sent me out a letter telling me they had found gbs, I went to see my midwife who has not turned up to my appointments and I have had to see the other midwife. I told her about the gbs and they said I would need anti biotics while in labour. I was upset with this as I had my heart set on a water birth, but made my peace with it for my baby, as I would only want whats best for her. I recently went into my hospital after losing some fluid and they also did swabs and it came back gbs clear. I rang the other hospital and they said the swabs were mixed up at their end and the wrong letter sent out! I never had gbs.

I now have a load of info to tell my midwife when I eventually see her to try and sort this out, I rang my hospital and asked what I can do and they said because its on the system as being detected I would still need the antibiotics? surely this cannot be right? if the other hospital messed up my swabs and ive had a recent swab saying im all clear? I don't want to have unnecessary antibiotics as surely it cannot be good for baby unless there is a problem that it could solve.

So stressed about it, I saw the other midwife again today due to mine being absent again. She said theres plenty of time to sort it and it sounds like I can have my water birth, yet the hospital is saying no way. I wish this could just get sorted so I could relax and know whats happening.

Get on to pals to investigate this and sort out asap. Get the other hospital to write a letter explaining the mishap and call your hospital demanding an appointment with re swabs to get it sorted. Do not accept anything spoken and get everything confirmed in writing. That is ridiculous and you have a good case to complain to the chief exec to get it sorted. If you threaten pals with that they will do the running around for you. Good luck!!!!

Thanks so much for your help, I will give that a go and see where I get with it. Oh is fuming about it, it wouldn't be so bad if they had told me it was gbs and left it at that. The fact that they are messing me around and my midwife isn't around to put my mind at ease just stresses me out. Hoping things will get better and I can know what's going on and put my mind at rest. The poor other girl they have the swabs mixed up with has no clue and thinks she's all clear though! Pretty awful care

Even if the first test wasn't a mistake, just because you have GBS present early in pregnancy doesn't mean it will be there at delivery. The best time to test is between 35-37 weeks.

I agree about contacting PALS.

As ready to try said it can be present one week but not the next.
Also the hospital can not force you to have them. Every decision should be made on informed choice, which they are clearly not giving you.
Stand up for what you want
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