Will a birth centre refuse you if you're anaemic?

[emyandpotato]

I've read that they prefer you to give birth in a hospital but I REALLY don't want to do that. I know I should just ask my midwife but I won't see her for a few weeks and just curious.

 

[Mervs Mum]

It would depend on the individual's levels and the policy at the particular birth centre. I am anemic when I'm NOT pregnant and I have had a birth centre birth and a home birth and neither with any issues about my iron levels. Mine hover around 9 at the end of pregnancy and while my MW would make suggestions to get it higher, I never once was told it would affect where I gave birth.

 

[chuck]

Dont have the blood tests done...simple.

many BC's have very restrictive policies when it comes to being able to use them.

 

[Bournefree]

You can still have a BC birth if you are Anaemic. They may like you to have a meeting with the Head of MW for the unit or the senior MW. But to be frank they can't stop you. It is totally upto you.

9 is low, but not really low, have a look at NICE guidelines on interpartum care. The levels recommended for a hospital birth are actually alot lower than 9 (sorry don't know it off the top of my head - think it is 7.8) I'll go check, unless you get there first!
XxX

 

[freckleonear]

I was told that I would "have" to go into hospital unless my levels were above 10.5. Of course I would have insisted on a homebirth anyway, but I went on a crash iron diet for just over a week and my levels went up by over 2 points, which made my life a whole lot easier.

 

[Ouverture]

I think it definitely depends on the BC and also how 'low' is low, kwim?

Ours won't allow you to deliver there if you turn up with iron levels below a certain #. . .but, in an effort to help you stay at the BC, they get you on liquid iron supplements and I think they have rarely, if even ever turned somebody away for being anemic. It's pretty easily fixed from what I understand

 

[emyandpotato]

Dont have the blood tests done...simple.

many BC's have very restrictive policies when it comes to being able to use them.

I was anaemic before pregnancy so it's in my notes, and the blood tests for low iron were the same as for abnormalities with the baby so I would rather have had them.


Thanks everyone if they refuse to let me I'll just insist on a homebirth I think.