Anyone suffering with GBS infection.(Group B Strep)

[sl003]

hi

I am 21 weeks pregnant and i have been diagnosed that i have GBS infection.(Group B Strep).I am so upset and worrying about my baby.
Does anyone have this problem?Is there anything that i can do for it?please help me.......

[reikizen]

It doesn't cause any problems in pregnancy so stop worrying! Lots of people have GBS and are not even aware of it. The only potential problems arise during labour when the baby passes through the birth canal and comes into contact with the bacteria, for which you will be given IV antibiotics and the baby will have observations (temp, heart rate, respirations) once it is born. You will also be told signs of an unwell baby so that you can observe your lo yourself. if baby is unwell or you have a very fast labour and don't have the full cover of antibiotics they can have antibiotics too. Your health authority may check you again closer to your due date as the bacteria is not always present. Speak to your midwife and she will put your mind at rest. Good luck and enjoy your pregnancy!

[sl003]

Thank you very much. Now i feel bit better.You know when i read the internet about gbs,it makes me worse and worse.Anyway i hope every things will be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrsradders]

hi i had a swab done when i went to hospital with DD1 in labour and apparently i had GBS although as i went in in the early hours the swab wasn't checked until after i had actually given birth so i was never given antibiotics, i mentioned it to the midwife whilst pregnant with DD2 and she wasn't concenred and said i could still have a home birth but to watch babe closely after birth...hope this helps to carm your nerves. xx

[sl003]

so is your DD1 and DD2 are doing fine now?Do they check the babies after given birth?

[bubblagirl]

i didn't find out till after birth but luckily for us i had kidney infection and had iv drip of antibiotics 4 hrs before i gave birth so ds was fine

was worrying but if they already know the correct precautions will be in place my ds was fine i found out 12 hrs after he was born so luckily i had kidney infection

[littleboyblue]

Hi. I found out when pregnant with ds2 that I had it, I was very frightened about it.
I asked to be induced because with ds1 I don't have any idea at all when my waters went and I was told that this is the time that infection could possibly pass to baby. The hospital agreed, and all was perfect.
They put me on an IV drip of AB's, a 20 minute course every 4 hours, and after delivery we had to stay at hospital for 24 ours as ds2 was on 4 hour observations where they checked his temp, his breathing and pulse (I think). He is now 19 weeks old and is perfectly healthy.

My advice would be to try not to worry too much. Talk to your mw and any other medical prefessionals that you are in contact with, if possible, make an appointment to see your hospital consultant and s/he will be able to tell you all the details of what will happen during labour and delivery.

Good luck, and stay calm. All will be fine. 33% of the female popultaion carry this infection and most never even find out.

[taytotayto]

i am worried in case i have it, no real reason why execpt a girl i work with mentioned it to me and said she was worried in case she had it. can you request to be tested and if so am i too late at 38 weeks. i had a bleed at 33 weeks and went to hospital and they swabbed me but ive no idea for what all i know is the results came back negative.

[musicmaiden]

Hi
Me too - diagnosed through a routine urine test. Am 30 weeks now.

Can't add anything to what's already been said. I am hoping to have an active or water birth despite the need for IV antibiotics.

Try not to worry - if you think about it, it's good that they've discovered it now so they can administer the antibiotics during labour and keep a closer eye on your baby after birth. This is all stuff that ensures your LO will be fine!

[SarahL2]

I had GBS with my DS and now have big yellow stickers all over my notes for this time - I think they just assume I'll have it again cause I did last time.

I had to have 2 big bags of antibiotics while in labour with DS because of it. Not that it mattered in the end because DS was born by c-section

My friend had GBS too but didn't have chance to have the full course of antibiotics so they gave her DD some after she was born.

Both children are now happy, healthy 2 year olds

[Zuzi]

As written above, the problem is not there if you are happy to have ATB during labour. In our hospital they don't use the drip but the venflon dose. However, they absolutely refuse using of the birthing pool.

I have a problem with both. Totally horrified by the prospect of having a needle stuck in my hand (1000x more than the labour which I am actually looking forward to) and really wanted to have a water birth. Does anyone know how to fight the right to have a water birth? Who do I write to? Where do I ask why?

[Nancy10]

I am a carrier of Group B Strep. With my first baby I was unaware and thankfully he was fine. I found out about the GBS when I was pregnant second time around with twins. I mentioned this constantly to my midwife/doctor through pregnancy and again at the hospital when I was in labour. They gave me antibiotics throughout labour. I had my twins naturally and they were healthy!

[bumpsoon]

Zuzi if you are really needle phobic ,then you could ask that they use the magic cream they use on children ,so you wont be able to feel the needle ,and you can look away.
As for the birthing pool ,i imagine its a infection control issue ,although im presuming and hoping that the birthing pool is disinfected after each use . You could try contacting the infection control team at your local hospital and asking them .

[Zuzi]

Thank you Bumpsoon. They did offer to ask an aneasthetist to site the cannula (I'll have to ask them to write it in my notes though) and use some aneasthetic also. But I wake up with a thought of needle going in and it genuinely makes me sick.

Well, Strep B is not transmitted in water plus I would like to think that they desinfect it thoroughly after each use. If we assume about 30% of women are carriers, there is a chance that every 4th woman in that birthing pool is a carrier anyway ...