Group Strep B

[SpeckledFrog2014]

I'm really confused and annoyed about this, so hopefully someone can shed some light on it for me.

A urine sample was taken when I was about six weeks pregnant and sent for analysis by my midwife. Nothing more came of it and there was no concern with the dip test either at the time. Sadly I had a miscarriage with the pregnancy before this so when I had more bleeding at seven weeks I went to the 24 hour GP at our local hospital. I had another urine test and the sample showed no blood in my urine and all looked fine to the GP and I went for another early pregnancy scan, all was fine.

When I got to my 12 week scan again baby was fine and I was almost 13 weeks. Then I saw the midwife after the scan as normal and lo I am yellow stickered for Group strep b. I was told I had it in my urine. However, no one called me at five weeks to tell me this to offer me antibiotics as inevitably strep b in urine equals a water infection according to what I've read and to top it off I never had a water infection! I am really confused, is this possible? I am beginning to think that they have got me mixed up with someone else as when I was called the sonographer had been handed someone else's notes as we apparently had similar names. We didn't. I am going to question all this with my community midwife next week Wednesday, but in the meantime has this happened to anyone else? With it coming out of the blue and all?

This is all really important to me as firstly I wanted to have a home birth, secondly I do not want to have to have antibiotics I do not need and thirdly I have serious doubts of a labour in hospital lasting four hours plus as required as the hospital is 20 miles away and there's a family history of us firing babies out. Certainly by the time I had got my nightdress on with my first I was going back down to the delivery suite where for a first baby I had her pretty quickly. She was a 9 pounder too so I suspect the way has been carved out pretty clearly for the next.

[Miffyonline]

Hi, I was diagnosed with strep b as well, at 10 weeks, after they tested for thrush. I was told antibiotics now won't make it go away. However I will need antibiotics drip when labour is established. Apparently some hospitals retest you at 36 weeks, as strep b can come and go.

[Luckygirlcharlie]

I did a private test at 38 weeks as needs to be late as possible to catch it if you have it. Will do same this time. For some ludicrous reason the NHS doesn't do this as standard. Anyway as I understand it if you have ever tested positive for it they automatically give you antibiotics during labour to ensure the baby is protected as the alternative can be pretty dire. I don't know how this would affect a home birth. Hope it gets sorted for you.

[SpeckledFrog2014]

Mine was in my urine, I wasn't tested with a swab, but apparently you should have to need antibiotics if it is in your urine as it causes a urine infection but it didn't so I am thinking they've got it wrong. Unfortunately I can't know for sure whether it will be present vaginally at birth until 35 weeks. That's if I even have it and I am not stickered because they mixed me up with another woman.

[Cnmorgan13]

I asked my midwife about this due to publicity on the tv. They don't test for it because the test is only valid for that day, eg you could be positive one day and negative the next. And the nhs won't recognise private tests. Madness. I don't see why they don't test you when you're first admitted to the ward in labour

[Bringiton2016]

I was tested and diagnosed with strep b in pregnancy. I didn't have a uti at any point during my pregnancy. I wasn't tested for it again at a later date. I had to have the bags of iv antibiotics.

[SpeckledFrog2014]

Babies whose mothers have it vaginally and in urine have a higher risk of GSB disease, but it is actually pretty rare. If it is the case it was my results not someone else's then I will have the antibiotics at hospital as I don't want to lose another baby. The alternative to this is penicillin shots, but I'm not sure if I like the sound of them...

[SpeckledFrog2014]

Bringiton was it found in your urine too not a swab?

[Bringiton2016]

Mine was a swab, for some random discharge I think. I ended up with an emcs so it wasn't necessary at all!

[SpeckledFrog2014]

I think the midwife will need interrogating. Such a shame we can't afford to go fully private for the entire pregnancy and delivery. I did go to the GP with my first as I had loads of discharge and she said you can get whatever discharge when pregnant. Must admit though (sorry tmi) I have a shed load of discharge this time, but it's not nasty or anything

[TCmytreasure]

This was 15 years ago so things may be different now. With my 3rd baby I was due to have a home birth & had had everything delivered for it from my midwife. I had a leak of my hind waters at 38 weeks & a swab revealed strep B. Unfortunately this meant I couldn't have my home birth as I had to have IV antibiotics when I went in to labour. The risk of my baby getting the infection from vaginally delivery was small but I was advised even if they know about i it babies can deteriorate quickly if contracted so I didn't want to take any risks. It was unexpected & I was disappointed but baby was healthy.

[SpeckledFrog2014]

You're right TCmytreasure, healthy baby is most important. You can now have a course of penicillin shots from about 35 weeks I think it is which eradicates the strep b for delivery, but they are very painful intermuscular shots and you need to fight very hard for them on the NHS. Also the dose is equivalent to the IV antibiotics. I've just read that around 25% of with with strep b deliver without knowing they ever had it.

I think in reality I'm clutching at straws with them mixing me up with someone else but the lack of water infection when it was in my urine has left me scratching my head

[Runningupthathill82]

Luckygirl - it's not the case any more that if you've ever tested positive for GBS they treat you with antibiotics.

I tested positive in my first pregnancy and had the antibiotics in labour (several lots of them, as it was a long labour!) Made no difference to the birth though, I could still use the pool etc.

In this pregnancy, I mentioned it at booking and was told they wouldn't test me again, but I may need the antibiotics anyway.

Then when the midwives looked into it they found guidance has changed and I won't be given the antibiotics when I'm in labour, as GBS comes and goes. I'm quite happy with that.

[Bringiton2016]

A friend didn't know she had it at the time of delivery with her 4th child. The child ended up with hearing loss in one ear which she told me was due to strep b.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

I didn't find out id treated positive for strep b during my pregnancy until after the baby was born and I was told I had to stay in for 24hrs. Not helpful to you in afraid but IME the whole strep b management thing is reeeeeally poor. I asked to be tested in pregnancy even, because I was worried about the risks, and they wouldn't, just so happened to show up on some other sample i gave.

[SpeckledFrog2014]

Runningupthathill one of our friends had it and her baby had to have antibiotics as well as her after birth, but this time round they haven't even mentioned it. I wonder if it varies trust to trust? I've received a lot of anti home birth stuff from the NHS even before I was told they found gsb, maybe just the area.

Bringiton I'm really sorry for your friend, the statistics do should gsb disease is very rare, but it can be really serious. So I wouldn't want to risk it, but my diagnosis sounds a bit confusing to me at the moment. All may make sense next Wednesday though

[Bringiton2016]

The whole thing is a shambles. I went from being really upset about my diagnosis to actually feeling quite lucky that I would have the abs and it not be a risk!

[SpeckledFrog2014]

Tbh it kept me awake all night one night as I was really upset and then the next morning I was really angry that no one had called me sooner. I have a lot of underlying anxiety about my daughter too as she will not stay with anyone other then me and her dad at a push (he does work long hours Monday- Friday so she doesn't see him much), but I can't take her to the hospital.

[Bringiton2016]

Sounds rough. Perhaps you could try starting to settle her with someone else now, build up the time?

[Quodlibet]

Runningupthathill I am in the same situation as you, and today at my consultant appointment he decided to recommend that I should have ABs again in labour. Seems there's not really any consistency...

[Runningupthathill82]

It seems not! I've had two different midwives tell me two different things now. I guess I'll find out in the delivery room at this rate...

[MangosteenSoda]

I'm not in the UK. Standard to do a swab at 35 weeks here then antibiotics for labour. If gbs is found in urine at any point, it's definite antibiotics for labour and, I think, in all future labours.

About 25% of people have it. I don't think it's well managed in the UK.

[3littlebadgers]

I have done a private test, as a friend lost her Ds at 12 days old because of group B strep. My test came back negative but the consultant said she would accept the results from the private test.

[SpeckledFrog2014]

I have a Velcro baby, I'm hoping she understands a bit more at 20 months who nanny and grandad are. We are going to be living with them for about two or three weeks whilst we get our new house cleaned and decorated, so I might see if she will stay with my mom whilst I have a shower in the morning and build on that.

I agree compared to other countries the UK is limping behind with the whole strep b thing. I will update you all next week as to whether you can have it in your urine and not have a water infection.

Thanks for all your comments:)

[SpeckledFrog2014]

Anyone that was interested, it was my results the first time but no one bothered to contact me or my midwife, they just filled the result! Second result had shown an increase in bacterium and I now have antibiotics. I never had a water infection and the GP said you can live with it in your urine, but it's not meant to be there so the antibiotics are to get rid of it in my urine. Will have to still go to hospital for the birth.

[sjch]

I'm totally confused on this area. My midwife says I should wash my hands before going to the toilet to avoid risk of it. I've checked with other pregnant friends who have never heard of this! I asked what happens then if this advice is given and they said NHS doesn't do anything as standard to test though.... I've had to research a bit more on the scary internet but I'm still confused if I should be worried or demand a test....