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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Group B Strep.

21 replies

onlygirl · 27/09/2010 19:35

I went to see the midwife today and she told me I have this. She gave me the info about what it is but it does not say if you have to have the I.V in throughout the whole labour or in intervals.
Just wanted to know if anyone has had any experience of this and could give more info.
thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

claricebeansmum · 27/09/2010 19:41

Yes and it is really important that you get the right information and then inform all your medical people that you are carrying GroupstrepB.

It is imperative that you have IV anti biotics.

Please go to www.gbss.org.uk/ and read the information and then pass onto your midwife etc in birth plan. It is alarming how many medics do not know about this, the correct treatment etc.

Group B Strep can be fatal to babies. Make sure your birth partner also has the knowledge and can shout for the right treatment on your behalf.

JaxTellersOldLady · 27/09/2010 19:44

hi OP, I had unknown GBS in my first pregnancy and it was caught in the knick of time for DS.

My cousin wasnt so lucky and she lost her baby when it was 1 day old - not trying to scare you at all, but you do need to know how tragic this can be if not treated.

Please make sure you are re tested and do visit the Group B Strep website, they will give you lots of information.

Original poster

onlygirl · 27/09/2010 19:56

thank you I will def go and have a look at that site.

OP posts:

lilmamma · 27/09/2010 19:57

onlygirl,why did the midwife do this test,do they do it automatically,or do you have to ask for it,thanks.

Lia1977 · 27/09/2010 20:10

Onlygirl Im a bit worried about this and it's not my intention to jump on your thread. Im 40 weeks tomorrow and no one at antenatal appointments has ever mentioned it to me. After checking the recomended website, I find that it is a very serious condition which can be fatal to babies. Onlygirl, I would echo Lilmama's question: did you get checked as standard or did you have to speciffically ask for it? Is it something that gets picked up on bloods/ urine exams that pregnant women are requested to carry out on antenatal?

moonstorm · 27/09/2010 20:53

Lia1977:

My Strep b was picked up on a routine swab (testing for thrush) - but the nhs tests have a high rate of false negatives.

However, you can get a private test done (try The Drs Lab 020 7307 7373). here

Ask your midwife as well if you are concerned. Good luck with the birth!

MoppingMummy · 27/09/2010 20:56

When my waters broke with Ds1 I had a swab done at the hospital. It was only 3 days later when we were home that the midwife told me the swab had shown Strep B. I had a swab in the second pregancy as I was hoping for a home birth and that came back negative. I think it is something that can come and go and testing is not very accurate, which is why it is not done routinely, but if it is discovered they will definitively be cautious.

Lia1977 · 27/09/2010 21:00

Moonstorm thank u so much! I will give this lab a call first thing tomorrow morning! I just hope Im not too late to get tested! The last time I had a swab I was about 6 weeks pregnant and they only found some thrush. Unbelievable how no one mentioned this in all these months!!

InVinoFerretsAss · 27/09/2010 21:07

It's strange that they don't test for this routinely in the UK given how dangerous it is.

I had it with my last 2 dcs and just needed IV antibiotics throughout my labour so you do need to go in fairly early on and certainly as soon as your waters break.

If I remember rightly they give you a dose every 4 hours but that unfortunately means you have an IV in from the word go. Just ask them not to put the IV into the back of your hand as it makes it really difficult to grip/squeeze anything or anyone when you are pushing which I found really annoying!!

Try not to worry too much, it is easily treatable once they know you have it and the antibiotics are very effective.

Maclaren · 27/09/2010 21:24

Also to add you are kept in hospital for 48 hours for them to check the babies obs to make sure all is ok.

narmada · 27/09/2010 21:42

Oh god, is that true about them keeping you in hospital for 48 hours afterwards???

I have just tested positive for GBS for this, my second baby (now coming up to 38 weeks), also was a carrier with my first and had the four-hourly ABs.

Of course, I will be having the ABs again this time - the risk is not worth taking (although a large minority of women are carrying GBS at any given time...) but I was so, so hoping for a quick discharge as I absolutely hated being in hospital last time for four days. Ugh.

PS invinoferrettsass where else can you ask for the drip to be put? Agree the back of the hand is a rubbish place..

herjazz · 27/09/2010 21:56

I had to stop in for 24 hrs only

All was fine. I had the iv antibiotics on time

Please try not to worry about this. Remember it is v common- loads of women will be giving birth completely unaware they have it. At least you are and can take measures to almost eliminate any risk to baby

I thought I would be attached to drip throughout labour and it would be restrictive. I wasn't. ABs were just syringed in canula

Rolf · 27/09/2010 21:59

narmado - my consultant said they could site the cannula along the side of my finger, which would make it a bit easier to use that hand. I also found it very restrictive to have the needle in my hand.

narmada · 27/09/2010 22:10

herjazz and rolf thanks for those replies.

I am really not very worried about the GBS carriage and it was my decision to pay for a private test. Just so disappointed that this birth has to be a bit medicalised; last one was a syntocinon and epidural horror, wires and tapes and tubes everywhere, so I was hoping to pop this one out in a nice warm birthing pool and be home within 4 hours. Hah!

muslimah28 · 27/09/2010 22:18

i had gbs too,found out by chance from a swab for something else. My midwofe reckons they'll start testing for it routinely on the nhs at some point in the future. Bit worried about all the false negs mentioned earlier. Ill probaly do a private test next time.

InVinoFerretsAss · 28/09/2010 10:49

I had the drip about half way up my forearm the 2nd time, meant that I could still squeeze my husband's hand and it didn't get in the way.

Sorry if I misled, I wasn't hooked up to an IV ALL the time, I just had the cannula in and then they hooked it up to the antibiotics every 4 hours. Just a bit annoying and it must be disappointing for you. If it's any consolation I had a really lovely birth the last 2 times still with the strep!

oopsandbabycoconuts · 28/09/2010 10:58

I had BS in my last pregnancy and was given AB in labour, they put a canula in ran the AB through then disconnected the line but left the canula in - they try and get 1 dose in 4 hours before delivery. My labour was only 1 hour so DD2 was given ABs when she was born. They do hourly checks once LO is born for 4 hours then 2 hoursly for 4 hour then 4 hourly f until your 24 hours is up. My MW came to visit daily for the first week.

oopsandbabycoconuts · 28/09/2010 10:58

I had GBS

Original poster

onlygirl · 28/09/2010 13:10

Mine was found in a urine test at my booking in apt, I am only 16 weeks now so was found early. Midwife said the results say that I don't need any treatment yet but I will have antibiotics during labour.

Gutted that it means I won't be able to have baby at my chosen hospital but so so happy that it was found early and will be able to have the medication.

So,do you have to go to hospital as soon as labour starts? do you only need the a.b's for 4 hours? Can you have a water birth?
lots of questions but I don't see the midwife now until 28 weeks!

OP posts:

oopsandbabycoconuts · 28/09/2010 13:28

No to water birth and I was told ABs every 4 hours until delivery. I was also told to ring delivery suite as soon as I thought thing were happening esp. if waters broke.

hackneyzoo · 28/09/2010 13:55

I tested GBS+ between pregnancies after a smear test. The consultant midwife advised me to get a private test done at 37+ weeks as the results would be more reliable than an NHS one.

My test came back negative and the consultant midwife supported my water homebirth. All was fine and the baby was monitired at home by me, midwife and GP for 48 hours after the birth. However, if the test had been positive I would have opted for ABs. I am pregnant with DC3 and will be following the same course of action.

It is worth checking with your Hospital what thier policy is on GBS as it varies from heatlh Trust to Health Trust. Also, if you decide not to, you don't have to take ABs and you don't have to stay in for monitoring afterwards if you feel comfortable with knowing what to look for and if the midwifes are happy to visit you at home.

Just to put another view point accross, I did a fair bit of research into GBS when I found out I was pregnant and there was a lot of debate as to whether there is any concrete proof as to the effectiveness of administering ABs during labour and that the pros might out wiegh the cons, depending on whether you fall into a low risk catagory or not. Statistically the chances of the baby contracting GBS are very slim.
Some interesting info here
I found this article from the AIMS website very interesting too.This page shows you what the high risk catagories are. I guess every mother has to decide what is right for her and make an informed decision, it is just hard to do as there is so much conflicting advice and the consultant and the midwife I saw both had different opinions.

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