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Pregnancy

Test for Strep B?

8 replies

TinaFay · 17/09/2007 15:38

I keep reading about it in magazines and am very confused as to whether or not it's worth paying for a private test. All the mags seem to say yes, but I read a piece on nhs direct that says 'a policy of screening all pregnant women for GBS carriage during pregnancy is not recommended in the UK. There are several reasons for this. One is concern that, given the relatively low risk associated with most cases of GBS carriage, a positive test may result in unnecessary and potentially harmful treatment.' I know that should I test positive, the treatment is intravenous antibiotics from the onset of labour which seems quite extreme. Can anyone give me any advice?

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GoodGollyMissMolly · 17/09/2007 17:02

Hi Tina, I felt like you do at the minute that you dont know weather or not to have the test done.

I dont know if I can help you much but all I can say is speak to your MW and GP and get as much info on StepB as you possibly can and go on to make you decision from that point.

I personaly didn't have to make the decision as I have to have intravenous antibiotics during labour anyway due to a heart condition that I have, so the decision was made for me IYKWIM.

Sorry I can be of anymore help.

Hope all goes well for you

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orangecat · 17/09/2007 17:09

I was just wondering about this too. Anybody know where you can send away for the test kits?

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GoodGollyMissMolly · 17/09/2007 17:14

If you get those pregnancy mags they sometimes have the details in the back of the mag about where you can get test kits or about private clinics that you can go to to have the test done.

HTH

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nellieloula · 17/09/2007 19:23

you can put group strep b into a google search and the main organisation comes up - you send away for a test kit and can do it between (and please don't quote me - I did it over 2 years ago and can't remember) 34-38 weeks. It involves an internal swab which you send back to them and get the results really quickly. Costs around £35, again I can't remember exactly. If you're a carrier you need to have antibiotics at the start of your labour (so you need to go in as soon as labour starts basically). In my case, they messed that up (it was an emergency section and everything went a bit pear shaped!) and DS needed to have antibiotics as well.

Have to say, it was the best £35 I have spent - I only did it cause a friend had a little one without knowing she was a carrier and both she and the LO were extremely poorly in intensive care for quite a while afterwards - didn't think for a minute I would test positive but was SO relieved that I knew.

Definitely worth it in my view.

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TinaFay · 17/09/2007 19:37

Orangecat- you can send away for the testing kits. Nellieloula's right - I think the best time to do it is about 37 weeks as I think the infection/bacteria (whatever it is!) can come and go. Here's a link to find out more: www.gbss.org.uk

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claricebeansmum · 17/09/2007 19:41

All I know was that I did not know that I was carrying GroupBStrep when I gave birth to DS (11 now) and as a result he ended up SCBU for first 3 days of his life.

With DD I had the intravenous anti-biotics and all was hunky dory.

I know of two babies lost to GBS

Definitely go to GBSS website for more information - had I known then what I know now I could have tested.

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barbamama · 17/09/2007 19:46

heres the website www.tdlpathology.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=73 its only £24. def worth doing i think. did in both my pg's for peace of mind, sil's baby v ill with it when born.