Hypothetical situation:
Your first pregnancy was normal. GBS screen was negative at 37 weeks. However, after you have an uncomplicated labor and birth, your baby develops early onset GBS infection. Your baby has a prolonged stay in the NICU with overwhelming sepsis, but eventually recovers fully and is discharged home.
You're pregnant again. You're 37 weeks along. You plan on having your baby in the same hospital as the first pregnancy. You are not in labor at the moment.
Do you:
1. Do the GBS swab?
Positive results - treat with antibiotics in labor.
Negative results - no treatment in labor.
Negative results - treat with antibiotics in labor despite the negative result.
or do you........
2. Decline the GBS swab and opt to have antibiotic coverage in labor?
Remember, your first pregnancy you were tested GBS negative, yet your baby ended up with an overwhelming GBS infection.
Just another personal choice/moral situation for you to ponder.