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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Streptococcus B

14 replies

Chica31 · 14/01/2011 10:04

I am 37 plus 5 days pregnant and was told last night at my midwife appointment that I had Streptococcus B. The midwife told me that I would be given antibiotics at the birth but nothing to worry about.

I have just looked it up on the internet and I am now a bit worried, has anyone else had this?

I live in Spain not the UK, I don't know if that makes a difference?

OP posts:

CupcakesHay · 14/01/2011 10:18

Don't worry - it's only a problem if they don't catch it - but because they know about it, they'll be able to treat it.

But let them know about it for any future pregnancies.

You're lucky, they don't test automatically in the UK - we have to pay seperately for the test if we want it.

You must be due about same time as me - I'm due 30th Jan! Hope it all goes well for you.

ellesbelles79 · 14/01/2011 10:19

I am a carrier of this & have known for a few years. So I will be having antibiotics in labour too.

Its better you at least know you have it & can have it whilst in labour - otherwise your newborn could be passed the infection when being born and could become very ill.

Just make sure that when baby is born all the medical staff know about the GBS so they can be vigilant for any symptoms.

see link here www.gbss.org.uk/

Original poster

Chica31 · 14/01/2011 10:31

Wow, thanks for responding so fast! The gbss website is much better than the others I have looked at this morning. The American ones are very scary!

I had no idea women in the UK were not tested for it. I had it done with DD aswell, she is now 19 months. I didn't have the infection then, so where would I have picked it up from now?

Care in Spain is so different and I have had nothing but great experiences here. Sometimes it is a bit medical, DD's birth was wonderful and my midwife was so caring, but I did have to be on a monitor all the time and I wasn't allowed to eat or drink. But my midwife didn't worry if the monitor came off while I wondered around the bed or my IV thing came out my hand for the 3rd or 4th time. She was very excited I wanted to use her little birthing stool while I was pushing and reminded all the doctors I hadn't had an epidural while giving birth, as they were watching the monitor for my contractions and telling me to push, when I couldn't quite feel them. They always were felt a few seconds later...

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Original poster

Chica31 · 14/01/2011 10:36

Hi cupcakes, good luck to you too, my Due date date is the 31st.

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BeedeBee · 14/01/2011 13:13

Same here! Was worried, but having read around, I now just feel mightily relieved that it's been spotted in time.

Original poster

Chica31 · 14/01/2011 13:35

It does seem we are very lucky to have it spotted in time. Where do we get it from? I have been reading loads but don't seem to find any answers to that.

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emmah194 · 14/01/2011 17:45

From what I understand, Group B strep is present in a lot of people quite harmlessly and will come and go for no apparent reason. I've tested positive for it a couple of times in the past, but will be tested at 32 weeks (I'm currently 24+4) as its not definite that I still have it.

Original poster

Chica31 · 14/01/2011 19:11

It is very strange.

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clarebear1 · 14/01/2011 21:31

Im 29 weeks and found out yesterday i have this after having a swab for other reasons. Googled it and totally freaked out but midwifes given me a huge info pack and put my mind at rest a bit.

Its good news that you know you have it.

growing3rdbump · 14/01/2011 21:38

From what I heard about it you can vary from being a carrier and not. I found out after I gave birth to DD1 that I was a carrier at that time, but due to the labour being quick and results from swabs not back in time I didn't have any antbiotics and all was fine. When pregnant with DS1 I had a swab done, which came back negative and I went on to give birth to him at home. I will probably ask to check again during this pregnancy as I'd like to give birth to DC3 at home also. I also heard the testing is not very accurate (?) which is why the don't routinely test.

Original poster

Chica31 · 15/01/2011 16:05

It seems a very strange thing and I am not understanding at all where it comes from or why you get it. Some weeks you can have it, others no. So that is one of the arguements against testing. But i think a routine test, however inaccuate would be a good thing

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HelenLG · 15/01/2011 16:09

I had Strep B but it wasn't picked up until after DS was born, he was put onto anti-biotics, and we're both fine.

There was a couple of other complications which meant that we were in hospital longer than normal, but from what I was told afterwards, if the Strep B is picked up during labour then they try to give you 2 doses of AB's about 6 hours apart...

-waits for someone to come along and correct as appropriate...-

MandaHugNKiss · 15/01/2011 16:55

Yes, ideally, if they know you are GBS+ they give you high dose antibiotics in labour...

However, they knew I was GBS+ and I TOLD them I labour extremely quickly and that they wouldn't have time to get the antibiotics in me. I asked that they start the antibiotics and then induce me but they refused as it 'wasn't a reason to induce'. WHen I went in to labour it was, unsurprisingly, very quick. Not even time to get an IV into place, let alone antibiotics in me so DS2 placed under observation.

Within 12 hours, his temp was rising and so they decided he was getting iv antibiotics - and then got me to help out with the procedure which was bloody awful. I was extremely upset; not only that they'd not listened to me, but as a result I had to take part in what felt like torture of my baby.

Newly pregnant again and I really don't know how I'm going to get them to listen to me this time, but I can't go through that again...

Original poster

Chica31 · 18/01/2011 10:43

MandaHugNKiss, that is a really upsetting experience, how awful for you. I hope they listen to you this time.

I have a hospital appointment on Friday when I will be 38 plus 5. I will see what they say, I also have very very low iron levels so want to talk to them about that too.

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