Strep B - can it cause a baby to die before birth?

[Utka]

I am sorry to post this, so soon after the thread on Strep B for women who are currently pregnant. I didn't want to hijack the other thread. I don't want to worry anyone unnecessarily, but this is unfortunate timing.

Having checked a number of professional websites, I can't seem to find an answer to this one. Everything talks about the risk to the baby during and immediately after labour, but there is nothing on whether Strep B can be the cause of a death in the womb.

Someone in my family has just lost their baby at 35 weeks and has now been told 2 weeks later that she has Strep B. She is worried it might have contributed to the baby's death. The baby had died well before the eventual induced birth (no movements, and then no heartbeat). So technically, the infection couldn't have been passed to the baby in the way that is suggested normally happens. But understandably everyone is worried. There is going to be a post-mortem, but there seems to be so little awareness of GBS that you wonder if the right info will emerge.

Can anyone reassure us?

as far as i know as i was found to have strep b it is only passed when giving birth its the fluids the child takes in on its way out thats why antibiotics are given usually during labour to prepare for the delivery

im sorry for your family members loss but i was told its only giving birth it is passed on not in the womb as its in the lining of the vagina the fluids not in the womb

alot of people are actually found to have it but babies only at risk at the labour i had antibiotics due to kidney infection and our ds was ok so its more than likely true that its birth only

i am sorry for your family members loss though

I think eye problems are the main worry (infection leading potentially to blindness).

The baby can be given prophylactic eyedrops.

I am so very sorry to hear of your family's loss. I had strep B identified at 37 weeks and did alot of research - everything I read told me that it was found in the vagina and anal canal and so may be passed on during delivery through the birth canal.
If waters break, there is then a risk of infection before labour as there is nothing protecting the baby but I have not read anything to suggest that the infection could travel through the protecting amniotic fluid.

I am no expert but it seems unlikely that this was the cause. Please check out the strep b support site (www.gbss.org.uk)

I have met someone who lost a baby as they were infected before birth with GBS. I don't know how common this is, but there are certainly a number of references to it on www.pubmed.gov which indexes published medical data

Thanks everyone for your messages so far. Will check out the references.

If you have a look at the SANDS forum (I'd recommend it to your family member too) you'll find a few people who have lost their baby to GBS.

I think that there is a small risk of the baby getting it during pregnancy but if the infection is active at the time of birth the baby will get it, which is why people are more concerned about it during labour.

"if the infection is active at the tme of birth the baby will get it"

TinkerBellesMum this is not true, there is a small chance the baby will get it. Check out www.gbss.org.uk

I am verysorry to hear about the loss to you and your family. I have just had alook on SANDS forum and their was a link to this website www.gbss.org.uk/

So sorry to hear that.

The post morten should clarify things. Babies can die from chorioamnionitis where infection passes (usually across the placenta) from membranes to the baby. This can happen with strep B.

You missed part of that sentence out "I think" I never stated it was right. I was supposed to take part in a GBS study but was excluded by having a premature baby by a crash section, so my knowledge has come from the brief introduction to the study and from seeing people on SANDS who have had a baby die before birth because of GBS.

Tinkerbellesmum, it just isn't phrased very clearly...and as someone who found out they are gbs+ when pregnant I didn't want other women to be freaked out by the second part of that sentence if they were searching on MN for GBS info.

I'm sorry if it read differently.

It was all under the "I think", I'm not an expert at all I was just posting what I thought I've picked up from SANDS and the study I was asked to do, but those two may bias my view.

Please do take this seriously. I am speaking as someone who lost their first baby just after the birth to Group B Strep. I had no symptoms and there was no indication anything was wrong in the pregnancy. Please get tested if possible (I did not get tested during pregnancy) as maybe like me you think these things just happen to other people. While if you are tested positive for Strep B that doesn't mean there will definitely be a problem, you need to use this information appropriately to ensure you get the appropriate treatment in labour. The results of taking no action are devastating. Please contact gbss.org.uk for further information.

I was also told by doctor that the baby is sealed and safe in amniotic fluid so the strep B is no threat - if waters break I will have to phone them immediately and have c section as there is then a possibility infection can be passed on.
My DD1 had a group B strep infection at birth but after two weeks of antibiotic treatment she was fully recovered.

So sorry to hear about your baby Becky25.

SO, I was tested positive for GBS in 1st pg. In my 2nd when my waters broke they just induced me and gave me an antibiotic drip during labour. Baby was absolutely fine, we just had to stay in hospital for 48hrs to make sure. I understand that this is common practice and a CS sounds a bit drastic. May be worth discussing it with your consultant.

No sorry I wasn't clear - have had two c-sections before, one emergency and one elective, so third is also c-section (to avoid strep b complications)
Antibiotics in labour is the usual thing to stop the infection being passed on.