Group B Strep

[NoTeaForMe]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with having GBS when I was approx 9 weeks pregnant (I'm now 29+5) I was prescribed antibiotics after 12 weeks.

Anyway I remember reading that GBS can cause early labour and was looking agaian for this info when I stumbled across this website

www.groupbstrepinternational.org/info_main.html
and have freaked myself out! My doctor and midwife have both told me that GBS is nothing to worry about, but this website is all doom and gloom.

Anyone got any words of wisdom? Does anyone know how true it is that it can cause early labour along with all the other horror stories?

Thanks in advance!

I don't have personal experience, but would stress that as you know you are a carrier, you need to be aware that the biggest risk is when your waters have broken. Make sure that your midwife with you when you start labour or your waters break is fully aware, and I believe that you need to have antibiotics as a precaution from when the waters break.

I'm sure someone will be along with more knowledge than me, but I do have a close friend who lost a child as she didn't know she was a carrier, therefore when her waters broke 2 days before she gave birth she didn't have the antibiotics or any intervention eg induction.

As you do know, your doctor & MW are probably right in reassuring you. I've not met anyone where GBS has caused premature labour.

I have GBS and my ds was born at 35 weeks HOWEVER they took swabs and it wasn't caused by the GBS. Knowledge is power - my ds was fine, but I knew to go into hospital asap to get my antibiotics - some people refuse, but I wouldn't.

Just keep an eye on your waters, it's when they rupture that the bacteria can cross to the baby.

These people are helpful:

www.gbss.org.uk

Thankyou for replying.

I have been told I will need to have antibiotics during labour for 4 hours before. I asked if this meant phoning as soon my waters break. She said yes prob a good idea but no rush and don't worry if you don't get the full 4 hours, there would stillbe time to have a bath etc at home.

Am I being dramatic/silly to think that there is more urgency needed than this?

Anybody?

Bump!

Not sure... I was told to come in as soon as they went. There was no 'panick' amongst the staff when I got there, but wanted to get my antibiotics asap.

I meant to add earlier, that my friend went on to have a healthy baby 18 months later as she had the antibiotics this time round.

I'm not sure about the bath at home before the antibiotics - isn't there the possibility of infection risk? Like moonstorm said, I don't think there's an urgency, but check out the GBSS website for reliable info.

try not to worry too much. lots of people carry it and don't know. i have 4 dc all delivered vaginally. I've never been swabbed before for it but my last dc was born 15 months ago and i tested negative when swabbed during labour but positive afterwards. she is fine, was born at nearly 40 weeks. i am now 9 wks pg and of course will tell midwife when i book in next week and get antibiotics if i need them in labour but i am certainly not going to spend my pregnancy panicking about it. do what you can do, which is phone them if/when your waters go, that's all you can do. your baby will be fine

I really am trying not to worry, and 99% of the time I don't give it another thought. But I want to make sure I get the antibiotics in time, but feel that the midwife is kind of brushing me/it to one side. Don't want to go to hospital and cause a fuss if it's too early, but obviously I want/need those antibiotics and at the moment I feel
like I will be told to wait at home and have a bath, which my instinct tells me the same as you Housemum in that it's not a good idea!

I am 39+6 and found out I was GBS positive when I paid privately to test for it around 36 weeks. I haven't gone into labour yet!

The recommendation is that you have IV ABs at least 4 hours before delivery, but don't panic if you don't get there in time, as they will administer them to the baby after birth, if necessary.

Obviously I would personally rather get there in time (I had a very quick labour with DS, so there are no guarantees I will make it at least 4 hours before delivery) so that the ABs can be administered to me rather than the baby, but the main thing is the one of us gets them.

I am also told that the baby is most at risk of infection in the 48 hours after birth, so I am preparing to stay in hospital for a good two nights afterwards, just to get the all clear.

The best thing that can be said about GBS is that forewarned is forearmed. And since you are, you and your baby will be just fine.

Try not to panic. I tested GBS+ from a swab and the midwife is fairly relaxed about it. I am still planing a HB IF another swab comes back negative at 36 weeks, if not I will go up to the delivery suite either when my waters break or when labour is progressing to get the antibiotics.

To put things in perspective, 25% of women have GBS in their vagina, and most will give birth without knowing they have it (I have one DD already and didn't know). According to the leaflet I was given, 1 in 1,000 babies will develop GBS. The risk of baby developing GBS in those whose mothers carry it are 1 in 300, which I assume means if it is active at the time as it can come and go. The risk falls to 1 in 6,000 if antibiotics taken.

So the odds are very, very low that your baby will develop it. If for any reason you don't get the antibiotics in labour (if you need them - are you having a further test at 36 weeks?) the baby can be closely monitored in hospital so if they develop anything it will be picked up at the earliest possible stage and treated.

Obviously I meant panic not panick...

I was told there was no point in testing again in later pregnancy as you could test negative at 36 weeks but be positive when you deliver the baby as the infection can come and go. To be honest because of this even if I had a test I would want the antibiotics In labour to be sure!

I have been told that it is hospital policy to keep me in either 12 or 24 hours so they can keep an eye on the baby, I too have read about the infection showing itself within 48 hours so surely it makes sense for me to stay in for this time? Especially when you read the signs of the infection going to the baby...lots of them sound like normal newborn baby behaviour eg crying, not sleeping well, struggling to feed. As a first time mom I worry I will miss something or I will panic at every sign!

Thanks for all your advice so far!

Bump!

Bump

I tested GBS+ at 35 weeks when I went in for monitoring. I was told anti-B's 4 hours befroe delivery was ideal if not given then they would keep us in 24 hours to monitor DD and she would get antiBs after delivery. I was told to ring delivery when my waters broke and they would assess how I was doing but would more than likely want me in to check progress and see if it was worth keeping me in and starting antiBs. I had a 7 hour labour first time so they wanted to get me in sooner rather than later. I went in as soon as contractions started and DD was born 1hr 10mins later - I got my antiBs but not long enough before to get them to DD. She had her jab post delivery and we had a lovely night in afterwards. As an aside, my waters did not break and DD2 was born in her bag of waters.

DD2 was born at 39+6

Sorry only just checked back on this thread. Hmm, maybe different areas have different policies. I was told if tested neg at 36 weeks very unlikely I would have it at term. There are some risk factors on the GB Strep website which could influence decision, e.g. waters having gone for a long time, high fever in labour, which you could also look out for. I am waiting to see what happens, but for me I also know there are small risks associated with antibiotics too - e.g. risk of reaction in me and alos posisbility of resistant infections due to overuse of antibiotics.

I guess all we can do is arm ourselves with the facts and then decide for ourselves what level of risk we are prepared to take, and balance all the factors. For instance, I had a crappy labour with my first and would prefer to avoid hospital if poss, but if I was positive at 36 weeks, or I had a fever in labour or something I would go in. I guess because this is my second I feel confident I could spot signs of a problem and would shoot straight up to the hospital/call ambulance if I was really worried. I know from DD they are very good - e.g. she had mild jaundice and I phoned them one evening three days after she was born to say I was worried and they just said come striaght up. She was being looked at by a doctor within 30 mins of the phone call (she was fine, but we stayed overnight just in case and went home next day).

I would say do what feels right for you and if you would be reassured by staying in for baby to be monitored for 48 hours I think you should do that (maybe try to book a private room though so you get some sleep).

Please try not to worry - I know it is easier said than done, but you are well informed and know about the infection so you're in a good position.

Sorry so long!

Thankyou so much for replying!

I will re-check with my midwife re the time staying in after the birth and see what she says, I do feel she brushes me aside quite a bit though. I must have more confidence to say what i think/want to happen. Something about the medical profession makes me just nod at them! Sure I'll soon get over it!

Glad to hear you all went close to 40 weeks! Am dreading my waters breaking on the train or something!

The website Moonstorm linked is an excellent source of info. I found out I was a GBS carrier after a fall at 20 weeks (not injured but swab taken). Ds was born at 33 weeks very very poorly - he had everything they list as early onset issues on the website and spent 4 weeks in hospital.

Complications are very rare but it is good to know what you need to do re antibiotics in labour. I know someone who didn't know they were a carrier when they had their healthy first born, who died 2 hours old as a result of GBS.

All the antibiotics ds had have affected his adult teeth but the alternative would have been worse and it is a small price to pay imo.

Hi, my son was born at 41+1 and I knew i was a carrier of GBS so had had the antibiotics. My son developed GBS pneumonia at 15hours old but due to having a c-section we were still in hospital and luckily he got treatment quickly. He spent a week in SCBU but is now a lively 3 year old

I'm now pregnant with my second (34wks), and will have the antibiotics again, but this one will also have close monitoring and probably antibiotics too as didn't work last time. Definately planning on staying in hospital until after most risky period (48hours)!

My only advice is to nag the midwives to do the regular monitoring after baby is born, as my son only got checked once (at my insistance) due to the midwives being too busy. If I hadn't repeatedly buzzed for a midwife during the night, he wouldn't have survived - so be a pushy mother!!

I think there is the general view (with the medical profession) that if you have the antibiotics then there is nothing to worry about, and in the majority of cases that is true. However, as previously mentioned there is a 1 in 6000 chance of the baby getting GBS in spite of the antibiotics, and, as in my son's case, this can happen so it's still worth nagging your midwife, even if she tries to dismiss your questions.

Good luck, i'm sure everything will be fine, especially as you are armed with all the information to make good decisions. xx

sananbaz - what sort of symptoms was your son showing that made you really push the midwives to check him?

My son was refusing to feed and screaming alot. He was flushed and red in the face. His eyes were wide and starey, his breathing was quite rapid and shallow.
The midwives/health assistants that came(5 different people over the course of several hours) kept saying he was just reacting to a traumatic birth and that I was best giving him bottled formula to settle him (I was trying to breast feed). My (and my son's) saving grace was that the senior midwife came to see me as I was buzzing so often the other staff were pissed off with me (had a c-section so couldn't go to them!), and she realised he was showing signs of sepsis. A paediatrician came and took some blood samples and started IV antibiotics, and when the results came back they told me he had meningitis and needed a lumbar puncture and blood culture for septicaemia. Luckily these were negative but a chest xray showed the pneumonia. It was very traumatic, and i ended up with severe PND as I completely switched off to him as i thought he was going to die. It has been a long haul, but we're doing really well now and i'm just hoping that fate has good stuff in store for me and this baby, I really don't want to be the statistical one again!!

xx

sananbaz - thanks so much for sharing that. Gut instinct is a powerful thing, although how HCPs could have dismissed such symptoms is beyond me, really!

I'm so pleased everything turned out well in the end, and good luck with this one!

I had GBS with Ds but wasn't diagnosed til after he was born. ( Had swab done when waters went ) I'm 26+5 with Dc2 now and the consultant at the hospital told me I wouldn't need antibiotics this time round as Ds was fine. TBH I think I'd rather have antibiotics to be on the safe side.