Anybody NOT do blood work?

[oliveplants]

The title pretty much says it all...
I refused it for #3-4, but now it's come up again with #5. I don't have religious reasons for not drawing a little blood, I just don't like it. I still have a scar from where they took the pregnancy test, and that was just a few drops, 3-4 months ago.
Last time I had the glucose thing, they'd only got about half what they wanted when I threw up on myself and passed out. I know I'm not doing that again without some strong indication for it.
But anyway... Is it 'necessary?' DO midwives send you out for tests, too? Have you refused bloodwork? Been glad you did or didn't?

Thanks for sharing.

 

[andiesmama]

I wouldn't do it again....I forget the test name, but it came back showing positive that our baby would have Down's Syndrome...I had not done my research to realize that test had a VERY high number of false positives...

I think you have a right to refuse any test you're not comfortable with.

 

[Picture.Of.Obedience]

i refused the bloodwork to test for downsyndrome and other abnormalities.... some things they do just arent necessary and we have every right to refuse them... i too hate getting my blood drawn..

 

[Linnis]

I refuse tests unless their is a reason. I had the glucose test 2.5 weeks ago and the bruise is only half gone but I am glad I had it. I fainted and I wanted to have the regular tests.

I will not have any of the "Your baby could have this..." tests unless they see a problem on the ultrasound.

I hate bloodwork too but I have many possibly life threatening illnesses, which does effect my baby, so I feel that testing when I have a probelm if for the best.

I know one mother who had no problems and only had one set of blood work at 30 weeks.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

Are you talking about the AFP test? My midwife asked me if I wanted it done but we refused it and she was fine with that. She said she was required to offer it but totally understood our reasons for not getting it. The AFP test seems like a pointless test to me because it's not diagnostic and only gives a potential risk factor. It causes a lot of needless worry because of it's high rate of false positives which then lead to more invasive tests like amnios which then carry risks to the health and safety of the baby.

 

[snarfywarning]

I had all the blood work reccomended to me by my midwife/OB team with Elijah's pregnancy. But if (lord willing) I get pregnant again, I am refusing all tests.

 

[Athene]

I didn't get the down syndrome test thingy during early pregnancy but I've had other blood tests, rubella, iron, RBC count, glucose. I could have got a lot more done, on my pregnancy notes there is a huge list of blood tests the government recommends pregnant women have including HIV and syphallis, I declined most of them and kept it to the bare minium.

 

[~Nikki~]

I had the blood tests done to make sure I was in good health, (iron, rubella etc), also to make sure of my blood group as I've never had a blood test before this.

And over here they didn't offer a test for Down's Syndrome or any other abnormalities, but I would have declined those ones if they were on offer.

I'm quite happy to have myself tested so I can be in good physical condition, but I didn't want our baby tested when it wouldn't make any difference to us whether there were abnormalities or not...

 

[Savedthroughfaith]

Yes, it's the AFP. I refuse this also, but do all the others....

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I wouldn't have a screening test unless I was willing to act on the results. I did have blood tests for anaemia, and general medical screening.

As for the AFP, it is way out of date. If anyone is having screening blood tests, they should at least go for the triple test or quadruple test. They don't generally do these tests in the UK now as the quality of ultrasound is so good - both at 12 weeks with the nuchal fold, and then again at 20 weeks.

 

[HeKnowsMyName]

I didn't have the "extra" tests done. There is no way I would abort no matter what so what's the purpose? I worry enough without them adding to it. I have a few friends who had the downs test done and it came back that their child had downs which was totally wrong.

I've had my sugar checked and although I really wanted to refuse that test, I'm glad I went ahead with it since it shows that I have Gest. Diabetes and watching my sugar/carb intake will help my baby in the long run so I'm very thankful.

 

[Cright]

I'm allowing any bloodwork that tests ME.

I'm not allowing bloodwork that tests my baby for disease or anything like that. Apart from ultrasound. IF the ultrasound shows something , I *may* possibley take more tests... only if they will help the Dr's to help my baby when it's born.

I think I'll do the glucose too.

 

[oliveplants]

Thanks ladies.

My Dr had no problem with rejecting the infant screening (that tests for the possiblity of defects) because he doesn't do elective abortions anyway.

I was talking more about the tests on me - obviously the diabetes, but also the rutine prenatal thing that takes my blood count to check for anemia and whatever else.

Seems to me if you had diabetes it would show up in other ways (you ladies talked about feeling off if you didn't eat) and the urine or a finger prick. I don't see why they don't do the least invasive tests first. Am I being too simplistic?

Seems to me that pregnancy is a normal thing and as long as I go for the checkups to make sure everything continues normal, it's silly to assume something is abnormal.
Am I logical or stubborn or sticking my head in the sand?

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Seems to me that pregnancy is a normal thing and as long as I go for the checkups to make sure everything continues normal, it's silly to assume something is abnormal.
Am I logical or stubborn or sticking my head in the sand?

I think you are absolutely right.

 

[oliveplants]

I think you are absolutely right.

Thank you. I thought so, too. It's hard to tell sometimes, that's why I go looking for others' take.

 

[Linnis]

I agree with you, the only reason I agreed to the glucose test is because I fainted. Now I know to control it with food etc, I wouldn't have gotten it for no reason.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Fainting is common in pregnancy and isn't always related to diabetes. More commonly, it's due to low blood pressure which is caused by dilation of your blood vessels.

When fainting is due to low blood sugar, it is often because of lack of food - no appetite, morning sickness, irregular meals.

But GD can kick in late in pregnancy, which is why the urine is checked at each ante-natal visit.

 

[HeKnowsMyName]

Seems to me if you had diabetes it would show up in other ways (you ladies talked about feeling off if you didn't eat) and the urine or a finger prick. I don't see why they don't do the least invasive tests first. Am I being too simplistic?

Honestly I've had no "signs" that I have it so that doesn't always work.

They do the least invastive test first. You drink the glucose drink 1 hour before you go to the Dr. and then they prick your finger and check it that way. If it's above 140 (I think) you need the 3 hour test where they draw blood and such. Lot's of people fail the 1 hour and pass the 3 hour - I did this with my first child but not with this one.

I suppose the only other way they could monitor you would be through U/S to see how big your baby is. However, by the time they discovered he/she was getting too big, it might be too late to try to rectify the problem.

I would definately do it if I were you "just in case". I thought to start with it was a bunch of crap, but now that I'm monitoring my numbers, I realize it is not.

 

[Linnis]

I don't have my urine checked at my visits.

 

[Zoomer]

I had bloodwork done for gluclose, and the initial pregnancy test but that's it. I never did the test for abnormalities/Down Syndrome with either one of my children. I don't mind having blood work done, I give blood pretty regularly so I am used to getting stuck.