Last week I went to a regular OB appointment and mentioned to the dr. that I had a small wound/sore that just wouldn't heal. It is about half an inch in diameter right next to my belly button. He took a culture of it and of course camie back as positive for MRSA. So i started oral antibiotics right away. He told me to keep the wound covered, don't share towels, wash hands, etc. My husband has bleached just about every surface in our house that could be! Well yesterday I went to the hospital with contractions (I'm only 32 weeks) and of course told the nurse and staff that I was on antibiotics for a MRSA infection. The nurse then informed me that a week to two weeks before my scheduled repeat c-section that my nose will be swabbed to check for MRSA. If that comes back positive then the doctor will have to use general anesthia for my c-section instead of getting a spinal block and being awake for the delivery. I am truly terrified and quite upset about having to be "put out" for my son's delivery. In fact, I am in tears right now just typing this.
Does anyone have any experience with having MRSA while pregnant? Any good stories? Any words of encouragement?
I don't know if you have time, but I've been told by my doctor that all they need are two nasal swabs to come back negative for MRSA to be cleared. I'm only 15 weeks though.
Words of encouragement- The doctors don't put people under lightly. While I feel for you, and understand your sadness at possibly missing your son's delivery, trust and be confident that it is being done for his health and yours.
Try to come to terms with this possibility and view it as an overall good protocol. There is little that you can do to bring about a different outcome, either you will swab positive or you won't. Either you will be put out or you won't. You can make a choice however, to come to peace with this possibility and to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and the delivery of your child.
Best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy son.
F. B.
for the nurse that doesn't know why they'd use a general - you would NEVER want to introduce something like MRSA into the spinal fluid... I had MRSE in a PICC line while pregnant, it was TERRIFYING and I spent a month hospitalized and was told to share my last wishes as I had less than 48 hours to live. grieve that you may not get the birth that you WANT, then realize that ALL that matters at the end is that you and baby are both healthy and alive, no matter what is necessary to achieve that. good luck!
Once your baby is in your arms, how he got there will not matter.
Congratulations in advance!
From one pregnant lady to another, I will just say, focus on the final outcome which is that you will be holding your little boy in your arms soon, no matter how he enters this world or who is awake for it.
You have to do what you have to do, you know? So many deliveries do not follow our ideal path, but the important thing is the baby enters the world safely.
My SIL had to be put out completely for her son's C-section, I forget exactly why. 3 years later its just part of the birth story and has pretty much ZERO effect on anything else. In the end, you'll just be happy to have your baby.
Hang in there, I know it feels crazy hormonal and stressful near the end of a long pregnancy. You'll soon be feeling crazy, hormonal, stressful, AND sleep deprived, but you'll have your happy little bundle of joy to take the edge of it all.
I looked this up a bit online, & I am seeing sites that indicate MRSA can be passed onto a baby if it is born through normal vaginal delivery. This may be a reason for a scheduled full C-section, if you are still testing positive.
I know it's hard when you are so close & things have been going so well, but don't think of this as a set-back or a negative experience, instead focus on the fact that your doctor is going to work with you to make the right decision to deliver your baby healthy.
http://www.babymed.com/blogs/jaclyn-stewart/mrsa-during-p...
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2501.aspx?CategoryID=54
http://www.sw.org/misc/health/MRSA%20Overview.html
Wishing you a healthy baby, regardless of the delivery! T.
That is a lot to deal with, and as a worry wart myself, it would be very difficult to not worry. But, modern medicine is a blessing. The doc wouldn't entertain the idea of putting you under if he didn't think it was necessary. And you might not even have to be put under.
Try to focus on the end result: a healthy, beautiful baby boy. It will be okay, you will be ok.
I assume that you called to doctor to verify that this HAS to happen?
Here's the deal - yes, it will suck to have a baby under general anesthesia (that's how I had mine) but if it's best for your baby, it shouldn't matter. Try to think positively. If it happens, it happens and you and baby are healthy. Recovery from general will just make you groggier the next day. Prepare your hubby to be on extra daddy duty in the hospital.
Good luck. And congrats!
Just keep telling yourself that doing it the safest way possible is best for him because you DON'T want to pass it on to him...that might be some solace. I'm sorry this is going on.
I know it's easier said than done, but since it's still uncertain whether you will need to be under general anesthesia I would try not to stress about it now because that could increase your pre-term contractions. Try to do something positive and relaxing for yourself and drink a lot of water. And then focus on the happy outcome. Be thankful that modern medicine can address this problem and you will have a healthy baby at the end of it all. I had preterm labor and bedrest/partial bedrest with both of my babies and during the scariest and most frustrating times I tried really hard to focus on the outcome.
With respect to the MRSA. Unfortunately, MRSA is everywhere in our environment now. Was the culture sample taken from the surface of the wound or from within it? My dad had a horrible staph infection in September. He was hospitalized for five days and could have lost his foot. The exterior sample of the wound tested positive for MRSA, but the culture sample taken from inside the wound did not. It was a more ordinary form of staph. We were told this happens frequently. To be on the safe side he was treated as if he had a MRSA infection, but the doctor said the origination of the infection was likely not actually MRSA.
One piece of advice re the antibiotics. If you plan on breastfeeding I would talk to your doctor about it proactively now. The heavy dose of antibiotics before and/or during delivery can increase the chances of a thrush or a yeast infection during nursing. It happened to me with my first. It is manageable if treated properly, but it is one of those things I wish I had talked to my doctor about in advance.
Best wishes!
Did you ask why? That seems very, very strange to me (and I'm a nurse). MRSA patients have surgery all the time. It would be one thing to say you had to have a c-section vs. a vag delivery , but this makes no sense.
Call your doc and speak to him/ her directly.
What did your doctor say. Did he agree. If it must be that way, you do what you need to do. You do what's best for your baby.
Updated
What did your doctor say. Did he agree. If it must be that way, you do what you need to do. You do what's best for your baby.
can you have a vaginal birth to keep the baby away from the site of the mrsa?
Can you use Young Living's Thieves oil? It cures MRSA! Contact me and I can get you my consultant's contact information.
Not while pregnant, but honestly I'm sure the doctor gave you a sulfa antibiotic that will get rid of it. This will all be a distant memory when you go to deliver so don't sweat it.
