Strep B

[MaggieW]

I carry strep b and am pregnant. Dr's are all saying I'll need to be on a intravenous drip for antibiotics as soon as I go into labour. While I don't want to jeopardise or risk my baby, has anyone had any experience where they've worked around it another way please? I also want ot know if an intrav will slow down labour as had very quick one last time and would like a repeat performance! Thanks.

Have a look here for the Group B Strep Support Group. It may be able to answer your questions.

Hope this helps!

Hi MaggieW, I carry the dreaded Strep B as well. Have a look at the website Soupdragon has recommended they have lots of info that will help you assess the risk factor.

My Strep B was discovered at 39 wks in my first pregnancy when I thought my waters may be leaking, they took a swab at the hospital, my waters broke 24 hours later and the results of the test came through when I was in labour. I was too knocked out on Diamorphine to understand what was going on and had the IV antibiotics and thought nothing more of it, I don't think it slowed labour down any but I did have your typical slow first labour so hard to say. Second pregnancy I looked into the Strep B and it was only then that I realised what a serious thing it could be. This time I had the IV antibiotics in hospital as opposed to the home birth I really wanted (IV antibiotics not available as part of the homebirth service in my area) but had a very quick labour, the antibiotics were given around 20 mins before I gave birth so I am unsure if they would even have had any effect and certainly didn't slow labour down any.

It is a difficult decision, I would have loved a home birth (although given the noise I made about it maybe the neighbours wouldn't) but finally made the decision to go to hospital and have the antibiotics instead. The Support Group website has all sorts of info that will help you come to your decision. All the best.

I passed gbs on to my 2nd child(she was prem so still in nicu) i had no idea i was a carrier infact id never heard of it.It took along time to decide to have another baby but i was watched very closely, my waters broke at 28 wks so i was kept in hospital on intravenious(sp?) antiboitics for 3 days and then oral antibiotics, i didnt deliver untill 5 days later, so ds was put on 5 days of antibiotics and watched carefully, a few problems did arise because of his prematuraty, but thankfully the antibiotics worked.I believe the newborn is more at risk if their prem or your waters have ruptured for more than 24 hours. The GBS website as mentioned before is really good and definetly worth a look.

MaggieW - as a member of the Group B Strep Support group, I was really pleased to read your posting. At long last Doctors have changed their recommendations, which is what the Group has been trying to get them to do.

During and after my first birth, Strep B affected both myself and my DD1 and antibiotics were given (however no-one told me what infection we had!). I didn't discover the implications of Strep B until dd2(yes no2!) was 4 months old. At the time of dd2's birth, I trusted the Doctors when they said that Strep B wouldn't be a problem and only one injection of antibiotics was given to DD2 after she was born.

I was horrified when I discovered the Group B Strep website as to what little the Doctors knew about Strep B. For example, I had a test for it in pg and it was negative; however, the website said that this test was only 50% accurate!
As a Strep B carrier, if I ever have another child I will demand i/v antibiotics. As everyone has said, check out the website. You have to think about the risk to your baby, and Strep B is the commonest (and preventable) cause of death of newborns.

After a problem-free pregnancy & relatively short & uncomplicated labour (10 hrs) I gave birth to a full-term 7lb11 baby who was whisked away to ITU within minutes as he had a severe infection. After a very touch & go few days ds pulled through & is now an extremely bonny & bouncy 13mo. As is often the case, the hospital couldn't identify the bug, but his consultant told us that strepB was the most likely contender. I would like another baby but am understandly very nervous...stuff home births, I don't care; for my next delivery I want all the bangs, whistles & IV antibiotics modern medicine can offer.
ps I also realise - especially after reading other mothers' stories on this site - how bloody lucky I am to have my wonderful ds still with me completely unharmed.

Along with not knowing about gbs, i also never knew that it can also lead to other serious complications, dd had gbs meningitis, which led to her having hydrocephalus, further surgery for this left her with left hemiplegia, and being blind in one eye, Pregnant mums need to know about this infection, id never even heard it mentioned when i was pg with ds1, i beleive it needs to be made part of mums to be ante natel care to be made fully aware of such infections.

Hi MaggieW, I too was diagnosed with strept B when pregnant. I was told by my doctor I would be getting 2 rounds of IV drips after I went into labor. I was told to monitor the baby for the next 6 mo after the birth for any symptoms. Which can appear down the road. No problems after all. They kept me and the baby one extra night to monitor us. This was because my labor went so fast and I only had a portion of the IV drip before my ds was born.

This thread makes me so angry - why do health professionals treat strep B with such little seriousness? During my first pregnancy I bled, after intercourse at around 10 weeks, the tests that followed showed I carried group B strep. I had antibiotics i/v during labour and my ds was immediately given a course via a canula in his hand. This meant staying in hospital for 5 days and I believe the antibiotics to my son also prevented successful breastfeeding. Better than losing a baby I know but still a real blow. A significant percentage of women carry group B strep so why is it not tested for routinely?

If the test is offered, women might be pressured into having it. And if results are positive, then doing what the hospital tells them they should do about it. I don't want to start an argument... but even the GBS support website notes that administering IV antibiotics carries its own risks, and that even GBS-positive mothers should be given the option to not choose to have anti-biotics in labour.

One thing that struck me is that it takes 2-3 hours for the antibiotics to cross the placenta, and the antiBs are ideally administered at least 4 hours before birth. I only had a 2 hour labour 2nd baby; for other women with fast labours, the antiBs would be both unnecessary and annoying.

[Personally I think I would need heavy sedatives to have an IV stuck in me. Sure wouldn't help birthing a baby.]

Zebra, have to agree with you, I do sometimes wish I didn't know but on the otherhand I felt if anything happened to either DS I had done all I could, decided I couldn't live with myself knowing I carried Strep B and not making every effort to have the antibiotics.

Second time round I was half hoping not to make it to the hospital but although labour was quick it didn't really take off until at the hospital and although I asked for the antibiotics on admission they said that I wouldn't get them until in established labour and as you can see from my earlier posting that was about 20 mins before giving birth as labour took off like an express train. I doubt the antibiotics would have made any difference this time round as it was so late in labour and I was unhappy with the hospital at the time that I was not given them on admission as they confirmed that although not in established labour at the time they were not letting me go anywhere, I went to the hospital so early as I was paranoid about getting the antibiotics.

As far as having the IV shunt (is that the right word) put in in heavy labour, I really pitty the poor doctor who had to do that as I was shouting at her to get me some gas and air before bringing that thing anywhere near me, she couldn't get it in my hand as I wouldn't stay still and it ended up in the inside of my elbow (don't know what you call that bit, where your arm bends). My hand and arm were black and blue and one of the midwives who visted me at home voiced her concerns about the terrible state I was in (I think she thought DH was knocking me around) and couldn't believe it was because of the IV thing.

I had a look at the StrepB site as I don't know anything about this condition. It is very interesting, so thanks for posting it, SoupDragon.

I was astonished to read that one in three mums carry StrepB so how come we never hear about it? Is this the same Strep germ that causes agonising sore throats and can lurk in people's noses? Two of my childen (and I) have had these conditions - does it mean they are carriers? Also, why can't carriers be 'cured' with a course of antibiotics - is it antibiotic resistant? So many questions, but I guess if anyone can answer them it will be Mumsnetters.

SueDonim, I'd heard of it vaguely but was horrified to discover how dangerous it is to newborns!

I don't remember being tested for this in either of my pregnancies - is it part of the normal blood tests?

They test for it with a High Vaginal Swab (ouch) although I believe a Rectal Swab (double ouch) should be done as well, I have only had the HVS, although apparently it moves round the body and I believe one of the areas it lives in is the nose although I am not sure if it is the same Strep that causes the sore throats, although I regularly suffer from sore throats so would not be surprised, apparently DS1 has this also. As it moves round the body I understand that is what makes testing so difficult as just because it is not present in the birth canal (I assume the place they would test a pg woman), doesn't necessarily mean that it is not there, it could just be lurking somewhere else at this time. I believe that although antibiotics cannot kill Strep B they can make is subside for a while and the last time I was doing some research on the Support Group website there was talk of women who carry Strep B being given antibiotics late in pg and there being some evidence that this reduced its appearance during labour, although don't know if this was just at the investigation stage at the time. The whole site used to have me in tears regularly as they had a guest book where people told their stories of what happened to them and their babies due to Strep B, don't know if they still have the guest book but it was very upsetting at the time as I had no idea of the seriousness of this thing until pg second time round.

Im sure an expectant mum is only tested for gbs if she has had this problem before or it shows up after a routine vaginal swab, if for example she has had a bleed.Im no expert but im sure it is not covered by routine blood tests.Alot of people do not know how devestating this infection is to new borns, i disagree with previous postings about not exepting antibiotics ,of course it doesnt stop all newborns who are suseptable(sp?) to this infection not getting it but surely as a mum to be you would do all you could to stop such an infection.I suppose i feel this way because ive had a child who almost died because of gbs and has been left disabled because of it, she will carry the scars of gbs for the rest of her life.

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and experiences. Just one more thing, what are the risks associated with having antibiotics during labour that are mentioned on the website?

Hi Maggie

Unfortunately I can't copy the relevant section from the website but if you go to Page 13 of this link "http://www.gbss.org.uk/CarrierCurrent17Jan02.pdf" you will see the risks.

HTH

When I went into labour with my 2nd son I was given an internal examination on arrvial at the hospital. There must have been something up as I was given a vaginal swab - no explanations given and I was concentrating on other things(!) at the time and didn't ask any questions. They cultured the swab, came back and said I had Group B strep infection - not to worry they said, here are some oral antibiotics just in case. When asked what this was all about we were told that very, very rarely it can make your baby sick after its born but not to worry its so rare it won't happen. I must have been extremely infected as any internal examination they gave me was more painful than my labour pains! After my son was born I kept going back to the hospital because I was swollen and sore. I had had to have an emergency caesarian and they told me that the lining of my womb was infected with the B strep. In the mean time at 3wks old my son was admitted to hospital with Bacterial Meningitis - a result of late-onset Group B strep infection which kicks into action at this time. We caught it really early, was in hospital for 2 weeks and is now fine but it took six weeks of anti-biotics to cure me of my infection. I also had Bacterial Vaginosis. None of this was ever really explained to me clearly - no one ever seemed the least concerned that I, or my son was in any danger. I have since found out that oral antibiotics do little good at the onset of labour. I am angry that the hospital had such a cavalier attitude to the infection. I am now pregnant for the third time had have demanded consultant care and a plan of treatment for my pregnancy.

Stick to your guns daisyroot, i also am a strep b carrier and was told not to worry about it. The hospitals attitude was a disgrace, my pregnancy ended with a stillbirth and the pm result showed that pneumonia caused by strep b was the cause of my sons death, don't let anyone fob you off, you know what you need and what care you are entitled to. Good luck my thoughts are with you.

To Demented and others - the Group B strep infection is not the one which causes Strep throats - it is a different strain altogether.

I tested positive for strepB when I was pregnant, given a course of antibiotics at the time and then IV during labour. I was tested again at my 6 week check and the result came back that the strepB was still there. Dr said not to worry about it as many people have it without knowing. What's worrying me is although I'm not planning on getting pregnant again for quite some time, when I decide to, do I need to get tested for strepB before getting pregnant, so that if I have it at that time it can be treated and I can be clear of it when I conceive? As I said, it's not an immediate issue for me, but it keeps bothering me - does anyone have any info?

Thanks

daisyroot - sorry - I meant to start off my previous post by saying how awful your experience was - hope that you and your ds made a full recovery, and all the best for your current pregnancy.

Kyliebump - I do not think there is much point in being tested again as you can have false negative swabs. At our unit we offer all women with a history of group B strep in a previous pregnancy IV antibiotics in labour.

Kyliebump, have a look at the link Soupdragon has posted, the support group info is very helpful. Once you have Group Strep B you always have it.

Hello to you all,
I would like to tell you all about my recent dealings with the awful Strep B. I had the most fantastic pregnancy until I was 8 months and then I was struck with Blood Pressure problems but after 6 weeks and with the help of an induction I gave birth to a beautiful baby Boy Charlie on the 1st March 03. Everything was going well and after the all clear from the doctor at the hospital me and my Husband Steve took him home. After a day or so we noticed his breathing was a bit funny. We called out our G.P who advised us to take him to the Childrens ward at our local hospital. After a few hours and the Doctor telling us he had a chest infection I was feeding him and after a few minutes Charlie Passed away in my arms.
The post mortem results showed that Charlie had Strep B Pneumonia.
What I find the most angry is looking on the Internet now I showed signs of having Strep B infection in the later stages of my pregnancy. I cant get my head around why the doctors/midwifes dont make you aware of this infection, I know they dont want to scare everyone but I just wish this goverment would spend more time looking into prevention. If they did they might save the lifes of the 700 babies that die every year of this. Even if they cant save every one of those 700 babies then they must try to save some because I would never want anybody to go through the pain and hurt Me and My Husband are going through after loosing our little angel.