Im worried.....

I'm afraid I can't help you on this one yet, as I haven't heard from my midwife, but I'm going to opt out of having the smear test for that reason. It might seem a bit paranoid, but I'm not comfortable with it and am happy with my decision not to have the swabs. Mind you, if there are tests that can be done *just* with a swab and none of that snipping business, I'd be fine with that.

where are the swabs taken from exactly? i do know that it is routine to swab for step b, but the swabs are just from the perineum, not up there. I am not sure about those taken from around the cervix, however i would guess that in the case of pregnancy, going up into the cervix would be a big no-no. doing anything up there can cause spotting because of the increased blood supply to that area - heck, sex can cause it too, and is probably alot rougher than a tiny swab.. yet it's safe to have sex unless you have been recommended not to. Sorry, sometimes i think i know too much. Be careful where you read things as well - while there may be some helpful stuff on the internet, anyone can make a site, and internet is also full of a heck of a lot of mis-information as well.. so make sure your source is credible. talk it over with your midwife as to what the risks are exactly... and she can help you make the decision, it's usually best not to make decisions simply based around reading a few horror stories.. if we all listened to horror stories, there's no way any of us would ever have kids!

Then I just read, your source is your midwife.. lol!!! Like i said, surely she wouldn't do them if they were unsaf?

I don't know if this is even relevant but I had swabs taken for STI testing (just to be sure) and a smear done as soon as I found out I was pregnant at 16 weeks.
No harm came to Hannah.
But do what makes you feel most comfortable.

i had a smear done at 32 week for repeted spoting while i was preggy and there was no harm too james if u r worried please talk to your midwife

I had some swabs taken at 4 weeks, then at 8 weeks then again at 20 weeks. Mine were checking for cancer, but I think also the ones at 8 weeks were for strep b. I'm sure you'll be just fine One of the many times we have to get our pants off for other people whilst pregnant

same in Germany liz! I had smear done for cancer + stds - routine in Germany but no swabs after that initial time.

I had the swabs done at my first midwife visit (as well as the pee in the cup) to check for infections etc. They give you an over sized cotton bud and tell you to wipe the entrance ONLY and no further. So I can't imagine there would be any risk there?!?! That was before my 12 week scan and bubs is doing just fine. I'm assuming that's the same test?

I would say talk it over with your midwife. I think it is important to know exactly what is going on. But I am sure that she would do nothing to endanger your baby!

I had no swabs or anything during my whole pregnancy, but then again I am quite prudish when it comes to people and that area! I got into the birthing pool in my hospital gown just so I wouldn't be naked! (And at one stage my midwife had to look at my nipples - i have 'funny' ones) and I made Andy leave the room - like he hadn't seen them already?!?

Anna, you're funny!! I'm so used to having my innards looked at (one of my lots of laser surgery on my cervix was witnessed by 12 people!!) that I don't even think twice getting my pants off most of the time... have even whipped them off when all my midwife wanted was to palpate my stomach