Group B Strep..answers please!?

[lockets24]

My friend is 18 weeks pregnant with her first child, she had tests done at 11 weeks and the dr called her Fri to tell her that she had Group B Strep and has prescribed antibiotics called Phenoxymethylpenicillin..which in the leaflet which accompany them say not to take if you are pregnant, she is trying to get advice on whether it is safe to continue to take them but its the weekend and no-one is around (NHS direct are getting back to us)
Can anyone share any stories that might make her feel a bit more relaxed.
Thanks in advance!
x

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

I was told at about the same time during my pg with Dd that I was GBS+ but wasn't given anything to take. I was told that I'd have to have IV AB's during labour though which was all fine.
I think I'd be asking why she needs them now tbh as afaik AB's don't actually get 'rid' of GBS anyway.

[anniebigpants]

I was found to have Group B strep with DS, by the time they had realised DS was four hours old, he was fine. With this pregnancy have to have IV AB,s every 4 hours in labour.

[dal21]

I have been told I have GBStrep. No antibiotics now, only during labour.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Is GBStrep tested for at 12 weeks for all women??? I don't think I have been tested??

[Picante]

That is shockingly ignorant of the gp. Group B Strep can come and go throughout pregnancy. If you want to find out if you're positive, you need to take a test at about 37 weeks - which is not done by the NHS, you need to do it privately.

If you are positive at that stage you can choose to have intravenous anti-biotics during labour. You do not have to have them. I had them with ds1 and ended up with thrush. I'm planning a homebirth this time and am not going to have the anti-b's.

I still can't believe that doctor did that!

[Picante]

P.S. obviously tell your friend not to take the anti-b's!!

[MollieO]

Here is everything you need to know about Group B strep. IV antibiotics during labour not before and baby may need antibiotics once born.

Most GBS carriers' babies are absolutely fine but some, like my ds, are not. It is important for your friend to remind the midwife of the need for antibiotics when she is actually in labour. I had to although in the end it didn't stop ds from being very very ill. I first came across GBS when someone I knew had a baby who died two hours after being born healthy, from GBS. That fortunately is very very rare.

[GoldenSnitch]

I had GBS in my last pregnancy and now have big yellow stickers all over my current notes to say I may be a carrier again. No-one has tried to give me AB's. As others have said, it can come and go naturally so just because she has it now, won't necessarily mean she'll ahve it when she gives birth. She needs a test a couple of weeks before she gives birth and if that comes back positive, she'll need IV AB's in labour (as I had). If they don't get them in in time (as with my friend), baby needs AB's after birth.

I've never heard of it being treated so far in advance?

[GoldenSnitch]

and I'm 19 weeks tomorrow so at almost exactly the same stage as your friend too...

[mears]

Agree there is no need for antibiotics, unless it is in her urine. Then she does need antibiotics and penicillin is OK for that. All leaflets will say medication should not be taken during pregnancy as a blanket precaution.

[mears]

GoldenSnitch - there is no need for the baby to be treated unless there are any signs of infection. When GBS positive women deliver without ABs, the baby is observed closely after delivery for at least 24 hours.

[MollieO]

I had a swab at 20 weeks after a fall, which proved positive. PROM meant ds arrived at 33 weeks. He had early on-set GBS and was very lucky to survive.

Afaik once a GBS carrier then you have a high risk of being a carrier for future pregnancies.

[mears]

Women who have had a baby previously affected by GBS should always be treated with ABs in labour if future pregnancies. Did you have antibiotics when your waters broke at 33 weeks MollyO?

[MollieO]

I had a steriod injection as the hospital weren't convinced my waters had broken . They had (or else I had lost complete control of my bladder!). They tried to keep me in hospital but I refused as the ward was dreadful (no natural light and really noisy). They let me go home with ABs (Erthromycin)on the condition I returned the next morning for the second injection. By the time I returned I was in labour and had ds 10 hours later. I was strapped up to IV antibiotics about 8 hours before I delivered and also had syntocin to ensure my contractions continued.

[mears]

Thanks. It also shows that babies need observed after delivery even if antibiotics have been given.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Why aren't women tested as part of NHS screaning?

[MollieO]

I was told it was cost of doing so. A private test is available though. What amazed me is the number of my friends who had babies after ds and didn't bother to get tested. I would have thought seeing what my ds went through would have been enough to make them do so.

[mears]

info on screening here

The UK approach is to treat women with risk factors rather than screening which will mean unnecessary intervention for a large number of women.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Thank you I will look now.

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

I think it's down to cost and also because you may not show up as GBS+ one time then you might another time.

My GBS was found because it'd shown up in a previous smear apparently, though I wasn't told until I was pg some 18 months later after my MW booking appointment.

I've had ductal breast thrush more times than I care to remember after having the IV AB's, but it hasn't put me off bfing and Dd is now 2.7yo and still going strong. It is excruitiating though.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Sorry just to be clear after reading the link above, is Group B strep tested in the urine throughout pregnancy - from what I read its not tested at all. Will a midwife test you if you ask??

[mears]

A urine test is done at booking but that is not specifically for GBS. Is for any infection that is present without symptoms - asymptomatic bacteruria.

Women who have GBS urine infection tend to have symptoms so any woman that presents with signs of a UTI, will have a urine sample sent.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

and does that sample test for GBS?? Would it be terrible to say you think you have a urin infection then!

[mears]

Should add that urine is diptested at every AN visit. If the test shows any changed such as protein. nitrites - a midstream specimen is sent to the lab

[mears]

You can have GBS in your vagina but not in your urine, so a urine test per se is not an indicator on it's own. If there is GBS in the urine antibiotics need to be given as it is a urine infection that needs treated, and not wait till labour. IV abs will still be offered in labour too.