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.

Pie

I personally would not accept it. This NEW test (the same one carried out routinely on American women) is a private one but you do need to go to your Doctor to request it. I do not have my GBSS newsletter to hand but give the Group B Strep Support group a call and they will be able to tell you how you obtain this test and when it should be carried out. Please, plese call them today.

Pie if your at all worried about your swab test results and I dont blame you for worrying then after 35 weeks of pregnancy you can have a Enrichment Culture Method (ECM) test done, either your G.P can do this or you can have it done privately. This is a new reliable test that came out only recentely in the U.K as mentioned by 21stcenturygirl. Good luck and get in contact with The GBSS they are fantastic with all the news on GBS.

Thanks for the replies, I will probably leave it for a few weeks and ask about having the test you all recommended done around 34/35 weeks. I'll get some leaflets about the test so my GP doesn't necessarily think I'm over reacting.

Thanks again

Pie - I have just had a look at the gbss.org.uk "News and Events" page and it details exactly how you go about having this new test done, and when. If you contact the Lab, they will send you a pack which you can then take to your Doctor. Good luck!

Robinw,

I've just checked out the www.gbss.org.uk website, and under 'News' there are now details of how to contact your MP, and a letter you can download to send. There's an Early Day Motion we can ask our MPs to sign. I'm not exactly sure what that is (though it sounds very official!), but I certainly think my MP should sign it. It's worth a try.

Ladies, As JaneEliz has just pointed out the GBSS group have managed to get an MP (David Cameron) to raise the issue of GBS prevention in Parliament. The motion asks the Government to investigate instigating similar schemes that are already in place in USA/other countries. Now we have the new accurate test (albeit private), who knows maybe the next step is routine testing.... What a wonderful idea.....

Wouldn't it be great if, here on Mumsnet, we could get everyone to download this letter and send it off, signed, to their MP? I've just signed mine and sent it off to my MP. I'm going to get all my friends and family to sign one and it send to their MPs.

Ive just signed my Letter to my M.P and I know that all my family (there are loads of us)
are going to do the same too.
The more that do this the more they will have
to take notice...
Great idea and its about time pariliment done something about GBS.

Pie, GBS have a new leaflet out about Group B screening, get in contact with them and Im sure they will be more than happy to send you one.
It has all the information you and your G.P need about this test and how to do it.

Drib, 45 MPs had signed it yesterday and it's up to 65 today. Wouldn't it be good if we could get Tony Blair to sign it? I think I might post elsewhere to see if we can get a Mumsnetter in his constituency to get him to sign a letter.

21stcenturygirl, great idea! Let me know if you need any help..keep us updated with your progress. xx

Have just found this post and checked out the Strep B Support Group site and the Early Days Motion.

I have scanned some of the posts and am reeling from the shock.

I will try and get a letter off to my MP here in Northern Ireland asap.

To those who have lost a child - my very deepest sympathy. To those who have struggled to get answers and/or help, I empathise.

I carry Strep B. I found this out a few days after giving birth to my second son in 1999. He was put on antibiotics shortly after birth as a 'precaution' as 'something' had shown up on tests (thankfully, the course was completed and there were no apparent difficulties - my son was fine). What exactly was wrong was not explained to me at the time. Even though I worked as a Manager within the Health Service and knew to question,question, question, I didn't. When my consultant did his rounds on day 4 or so, he 'mentioned in passing' that I 'had Strep B' and that if I had any future pregnancy I should 'remind my gp/consultant/nurse etc' but that it would be 'recorded on my file anyhow'. No real explanation as to why, other than that I would 'possibly nead antibiotics during any subsequent labour'. I found out what I could about it afterwards but info available was limited - even within local Health Service circles. I did discover that babies born to carriers could die - this worried me. Fastforward to 2002. Pregnant with 3rd son, I did mention several times about Strep B and asked if I needed any further tests or antibiotics during labour. Told not to concern myself and if anything was needed I would be told. I asked again in Labour ward and delivery suite but was told no antibiotics would be required. Thankfully, things went ok and no problems arose with myself or baby. I am angry however, having read what I have here, at how this was all handled. Having checked the Strep B site now and looked at some of the risk factors, I am just glad everything did go ok (I had a prolonged period after my waters initially broke - almost 17 hours of continual 'leaking' - and now know that this could have led to problems).

I fully agree that something needs done and done now. MP's need to sit up and take notice. Doctors, nurses etc need more education on the subject. Mums-to-be need more education (how many are told about it at ante-natal class?).

I will try and let others know of this need and ask for their support. Hopefully, as has been said, Mumsnet members will support any campaignto the fullest.

A most thought provoking and emotive subject.

I have just gone on to the Group B Strep Support Group site and followed their links to MP contact details on the EDM site. I have found the constituency email link for Tony Blair and although it is not my constituency (Living as I do in Northern Ireland) I have sent off an email to highlight the subject/EDM/mumsnet discussion etc. What success I will have in getting a reply I do not know. Maybe others would be willing to do likewise. Here is a copy of my letter (with my actual name removed). In the email subject header i said Support sought for Early Day Motion on Group B Strep in Pregnancy/Childbirth (please also note that a full postal address is requested if you wish to submit anything to him):

"Dear Mr Blair

I am probably making contact via the wrong channel (ie through your constituency rather than in your capacity as PM) but please do bear with me.

It is late, but I am reeling from shock having just left a discussion board on a national website for mothers like myself (namely www.Mumsnet.com) and feel I must take action now. The discussion was on the topic 'Group Strep B' and can be read in full at

www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=138&threadid=4407

It is rather long but covers a lot. The link within it to the Group B Strep Support site is also well worth a visit.

I will try and pursue this issue with my own MP but in the meantime trust you will give your attention to same and help in any way you can. I have an item on the board under 'butterflymum'.

Thanking you, in anticipation, for your attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely"

I await any outcome and will keep you posted on same.

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Oops! Was getting very tired when I did my email to Mr Blair last night. Realised this am that I missed out some important info (including that the Early Day Motion number is 1211). I have sent a further email this am and used some of the wording from the Group B Strep site. Copy as follows:

"Dear Mr Blair

Sorry to trouble you again. You may have seen my earlier email regarding Group B Strep. I have realised this morning that I did not include some information on same which is probably needed. That is:

"Early Day Motion 1211, entitled "Group B Streptococcus" put down by David Cameron, MP for Witney.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies, infecting an estimated 700 babies per year. Approximately 100 of these sick babies die, and another 20 or so are left with permanent mental or physical damage as a result.

GBS infections in newborn babies can be dramatically reduced by adopting screening strategies for all pregnant women and taking precautionary action, which is giving intravenous antibiotics during labour to women found to carry GBS, to those who have previously had a baby with GBS disease, and to those with recognised risk factors. Such screening programmes and other measures have been found to work and adopted in other European countries and the US.

The motion calls upon the Government to investigate instigating similar schemes in the UK as a matter of urgency. Your support of this EDM will help to ensure this matter is addressed ? and babies' lives will be saved as a result.

If you require any further information about the need to sign EDM 1211, then please contact the national charity, Group B Strep Support, who supports this motion and will be happy to assist."

Trusting this will enable you to fully review the matter and looking forward to hearing from you.

With thanks,again, in anticipation of your attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely"

Podmog, the link to the EDM site seems to be working again. I just checked and it is sitting at 65 signatures.

Wow, I never knew any of this about Strep B and the mw never mentioned it. That seems terrible, considering it's such a big risk! I'm 37 weeks preg today and I haven't got an mw appointment until next Weds, would that be too late to raise the issue?

Huge condolences and hugs to everyone here who's lost a baby or had huge problems with gbs. I think you're all doing a fantastic job making people aware of the situation and trying to get the government to change their policies.

I'm really worried about the risk that I might have it and not know - should I just ask the mw for the swab? What if she says it's not a big enough risk and that I can't have it? Does anyone knwo of a good website with information about GBS that I could print off to refer to?

Wow, I never knew any of this about Strep B and the mw never mentioned it. That seems terrible, considering it's such a big risk! I'm 37 weeks preg today and I haven't got an mw appointment until next Weds, would that be too late to raise the issue?

Huge condolences and hugs to everyone here who's lost a baby or had huge problems with gbs. I think you're all doing a fantastic job making people aware of the situation and trying to get the government to change their policies.

I'm really worried about the risk that I might have it and not know - should I just ask the mw for the swab? What if she says it's not a big enough risk and that I can't have it? Does anyone knwo of a good website with information about GBS that I could print off to refer to?

The link was already posted on 17/10/02 by SoupDragon - but for those of you who didn't notice it, here it is again:

\linkwww.gbss.org.uk/{}

This will take you to the Group B Strep Support Group site.

I don't think any of this discussion board was intended to 'scare' people and I hope you are not overly worried - but do check it out with your midwife if you are.

oops - the link doesn't seem to have gone on properly - try copy then paste instead, but use the following:

www.gbss.org.uk/

Thanks for the link. I don't feel like anyone on here has tried to scare anyone but it's naturally worrying because it could be so serious. What's most worrying though is the fact that the mw doesn't even mention it. You get all the talks on rubella, amnio's, not smoking, not eating certain things etc etc until the mw runs out of steam but not to even mention things like strep B seems incredible. Even if it's not a big risk to most people, they could at least talk you through it as a possibility just to keep you informed.

These are the signatures as of today, in 'Party' list form - this might help you to decide whether or not to contact your MP if they are not on it.
Conservative Party
Baron/John
Blunt/Crispin
Brady/Graham
Brazier/Julian
Burns/Simon
Burt/Alistair
Cameron/David
Conway/Derek
Duncan/Alan
Garnier/Edward
Horam/John
Lilley/Peter
Luff/Peter
Mercer/Patrick
Ottaway/Richard
Randall/John
Sayeed/Jonathan
Selous/Andrew
Simpson/Keith
Soames/Nicholas
Streeter/Gary
Swayne/Desmond
Swire/Hugo
Syms/Robert
Tredinnick/David
Walter/Robert
Watkinson/Angela
Winterton/Ann
Open: 28

Democratic Unionist Party Campbell/Gregory
Dodds/Nigel
Open: 2

Labour Party Austin/John
Barnes/Harry
Burnham/Andy
Caton/Martin
Clapham/Michael
Cohen/Harry
Cryer/Ann
Dean/Janet
Dobbin/Jim
Drew/David
Flynn/Paul
George/Bruce
Griffiths/Win
Iddon/Brian
Jones/Lynne
Mahon/Alice
Mole/Chris
Murphy/Denis
Pickthall/Colin
Prentice/Bridget
Rapson/Syd
Robertson/John
Sawford/Phil
Simpson/Alan
Vis/Rudi
Williams/Betty
Open: 26

Liberal Democrats Hancock/Mike
Hughes/Simon
Jones/Nigel
Russell/Bob
Tonge/Jenny
Open: 5

Plaid Cymru Llwyd/Elfyn
Price/Adam
Open: 2

Scottish National Party Weir/Michael
Open: 1

Ulster Unionist Party Smyth/Martin
Open: 1

Note: Counts of withdrawn and closed signatures are not displayed.

Wobblymum, Please dont worry about Strep B, you are aware of this infection now so at least you can find out about it unlike some mothers who are not even made aware of it.
Contact Group B Strep support, they are fantastic and can provide you with leaflets for your doctor and midwife to look at.
They can also tell you about a new RELIABLE test which is availiable privately for the cost of £18 which can be carried out after 35 weeks of pregnancy (GBSS have a leaflet on this test too).
Thanks for everyone who has written to their M.P, it is about time they took notice of this infection!!! Good luck to you and let us know how you get on...Drib xxx

Buttermum, thanks for mailing your M.P especially Tony Blair which is great!! Please let us know how you get on...
Take Care.
xxxx

Thanks Drib. I have posted on two other sites today (www.raisingkids.com and www.babyworld.co.uk) to help raise awareness of the EDM and hopefully boost support. It was good to see that the latter of the two sites had a number of articles (found via their search box) on Strep B.