Any recent group b strep mums ??????

[dawn73]

I am currently pregnant with baby no5 (yes 5!!) and during my last pregnancy was told that i carry group b strep. Unfortunately i wasnt in labour long enough to get the intravenous antibiotics so it was a 2 day stay in hospital for me and my baby while she had antibiotic injections every 4 hours (her veins were so small they couldnt fit a drip)what i cant understand is why this wasnt picked up before and if ive always carried it then my other 3 children have been very lucky,and what is the likelyhood of me having it this time? Do i need to worry? Does anyone have any thoughts????

Hi Dawn

Firstly, congratulations and please don't worry.

You can find find loads of helpful info at Group B Strep Support website and on a number of Mumsnet threads such as here and \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=49&threadid=73132here}. For more on mumsnet, just search current/archived threads for a selection of posts.

Hope this helps.

butterfly

Oops, third link should be here .

Hi dawn73, I found out I had GBS after my ds was born 2 yrs ago. So this time round I read up on it and found this leaflet a great help. I did the private test at 36wks and it came up -ve. However, having just seen the consultant (I'm now 37wks) he said as I've been known to have it before there's no guarantee that I won't become +ve between now and the birth so recommends IV-antibiotics for me anyway when I go into labour. However, the GBSS site says that there's only 4% chance I'll revert status over the next 5 weeks and dh and I've agreed to repeat the test again at 39wks (if bubba hasn't appeared by then!) and if it's still -ve we're not going to have the IVAB's.

I think because your body is a 'good host' for this bacteria I would definitely suggest you do the private test between 35-37wks and make your decisions based on the result. Don't worry in the mean time as there's nothing you can do to influence it. Just try and have a healthy pregnancy.

One other thing to be aware of is that as many health professionals are not up to speed with the detail on this a friend of mine got sent home because she wasn't in 'established' labour even though her notes were plastered with GBS+ve all over it. To cut a long story short she didn't end up getting any IVAB's and her little dd had to endure the needles post delivery (like yours). So pls make sure if you are +ve this time round that you insist they don't send you home but monitor you and make sure you start getting the AB's when you need them.

I found out 2 days before I had by daughter (now 3 weeks) that I carried group b (had a test that I paid for) Had antibiotic 4 hours before she was delivered and all was fine.

I'm sure I probabaly had it was I had ds too - but I'd never hear of it! I think its worth telling the hospital - its not worth the risk and They can give you the antibiotics or keep a check after birth.

I agree with everything already said here. Also, if you have quick deliveries, the risks reduce even further as the baby is in the birth canal, and therefore in contact with the bacteria, for a shorter period of time.

Apparently it's still better to have some antibiotics even if you don't manage the full 4 hours, rather than have none at all.

One thing I didn't really bear in mind is that even if you are in hospital in good time, it can still take a little while to get a midwife who can site the venflon (not all can do it) and then get a doctor to observe the a-bs being given (which was part of the protocol at my hospital).

I found I had GBS when dd1 was 15 months & I was pregnant with dd2.I had asked to be tested when pregnant with dd1,but was refused.So I could have had it when pregnant with her too.I'll never know.

I laughed in the midwifes face when she told me that I'd have to go to hospital at least 4 hours before the baby was due-dd1 arrived in 4 hours & she was my first.I knew there was no way I'd make it & I was right.DD2 arrived in an hour & a half & although they attempted to get the antibiotics into me,there wasn't enough time.We had to stay in for 24 hours to keep an eye on her,but she was fine.

The hospital midwives said that there was no point me actually going to hospital at all & that I could have had the homebirth I'd originally wanted.My community MW said that if I have another baby,not to even attempt getting to hospital,GBS or no GBS & that the baby could be monitored just as well at home.

Apparently they don't give babies antibiotics now unless they start showing symptoms.

Hope it all goes well for you.

had this with dd3 & ds4. both labours too quick for antibiotics, dd3 90 mins & ds4 10 mins. both had an underarm swab taken after the birth & had antibiotics in a venflon for 2 days after until result of swab was known. both times was negative. also waters broke naturally at the last moment & this gives more protection.

i found out i was a gbs carrier with my 2nd child, apparantly they dont check as routine as you dont have it all the time. i was just told to come straight in as soon as labour started for iv antibiotics, as it was i ended up in hospital before hand anyway. anyway i had to be induced and labour only took two hours, so antibiotics were no good, dd didnt have them though, they just observed her for two days.