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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. Just been told I have it, what to expect?

26 replies

clarabella18 · 21/01/2011 18:52

Hi ladies
Just been told by the Doc that I have group B strep. Am 23 weeks with DC2 and went to Docs with what I thought was either thrush or an infection. Te swab has shown up that I have strep. I have been given a 5 day course of antibiotics.
Can anybody out there tell me what to expect when baba decides to make an appearance. I was hoping for a waterbirth and to be home within a few hours if not the the next day. Is this now an unreasonable expectation?

OP posts:

sum04 · 21/01/2011 19:49

Hi,
I also carry Strep B.
When my daughter was born i passed on Strep B to her and she got strep b phneumonia, was on life support and nearly passed away.
This was all because the NHS did not test pregnant women for it.
With my son they did nothing as they screwed big time, but luckily my son did not get strep b.
This time around i have been told that when my 3rd is born i will need a drip during labour to prevent my baby catching strep b, worse case the baby will also need a drip when born.
It is very dangerous for babies to get and can result in it being fatal for the baby.
Your midwife should stick a big red sticker on the frount of your yellow notes book that you take into hospital so that all staff are alerted that you carry strep b and to know that you will need a drip in labour.

emma31177 · 21/01/2011 20:31

hi i carry strep b to never new with my first born he was fine the 2nd born i had a drip during labour she was fine we had to stay in 24 hour but she didnt need anything now preg with 3rd and been told i will have the drip same as before when i went in to labour the first thing i told them when i phoned is that i have step b and they told me to come stright in pls try not to worry to much x good luck with everything

daytoday · 21/01/2011 20:32

I'm pregnant with DC3 and have also found out I have group B strep, in exactly the same way you did. Am 21 weeks.

Been told that I will have a drip with antibiotics as soon as I go into labour. I'm a bit worried though, because I give birth very quickly - so hope the drip will have enough time to work. Also gutted as I'm sure it means the birth will have more intervention.

That said, I'm glad they found it and at least everyone knows. I will be very vocal about being a strep b carrier at birth. For all I know I may well have been a carrier with my other two, but obviously didn't pass it on.

We should count ourselves lucky, I suppose, that we know.

Original poster

clarabella18 · 21/01/2011 20:34

Thanks ladies. We keep our own notes here in Scotland so willemtion it when I'm at the midwife next time and make sure they note it somewhere nice and prominent.

OP posts:

emmah194 · 21/01/2011 21:00

This website has helpful information on it about group b strep www.gbss.org.uk

emmah194 · 21/01/2011 21:00

This website has helpful information on it about group b strep www.gbss.org.uk

emmah194 · 21/01/2011 21:00

This website has helpful information on it about group b strep www.gbss.org.uk

AmIGoingMad · 21/01/2011 21:35

Hello! I'm 39 weeks and found out last week by chance that I'm group B strep positive- also sent away swab thinking that I had a urine infection. I was told that they don't treat it during pregnancy as it can come and go but that when I go into labour I need to tell hospital that I have GBS so that I can present earlier and have IV antibiotics (which will be repeated every 4-6 hours during labour. Then baby will need to be monitored for up to 48 hours to check for symptoms of it passing on during labour.
I know this sounds daft to say but I do feel that we're lucky because most women don't know they have this until it has already been passed to baby. At least this way the antibiotics should reduce risk of it being passed on and the docs will know exactly which symptoms they're looking out for in baby after birth. Sorry if it means that you don't end up getting the birht that you're after but at least they'll be keeping you and your baby as safe as they can. And maybe you'll still be able to have the water birth in between antibiotics? It's worth asking.

snowangels1 · 22/01/2011 07:59

I started this post a while ago which might be of interest www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1104115-tested-positive-for-strep-b-and-considering-refusing-antibiotics-in-labour . There's alot of stories about problems people have had when their babies had strep b, but, if you keep looking towards the end there are some really interesting links about it.

MistleToad · 22/01/2011 08:06

Sorry to hijack a bit , but do you get routinely tested for group B strep? Or are you only tested if you have an infection?

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 22/01/2011 08:14

It actually showed up on a urine test for me in pregnancy, so I am guessing there is sone recognisable way to see it from.the copious urine tests we have!
Your right to be cautious, but please please don't assumecyour in for a horror story, you can still have a water borth, I was about to get in the pool when my waters went with meconium in them, so that wa@ the end if rgat, the iv line isqnnoying but 5o b honest giving birth is more annoying ha! They Sony want you at the hospital any earlier either, I had one set of abs before my dd appeared and that was fine coupled with a 24 hr stay after birth to observe baby... Good luck, it will be fine x

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 22/01/2011 08:16

Ps, in terms of intervention, I had none, 7 hr labour with no drugs and no help getting her out, it need not be any different from any other birth

smellsofsick · 22/01/2011 08:24

Hi I had group b strep and gave birth five weeks ago. Think the key point is that they know about it in advance so there's less chance of passing it on due to the IV drip pre birth. You may need to remind them though. It may be that if the drip is timed right and you don't need to be lying down for monitoring that you are still able to go for a water birth. I guess at the end of the day the safety of the baby is the most important thing. You don't sound like your panicking though, which is good 'cos there's no need. Hope all goes well.

Original poster

clarabella18 · 22/01/2011 11:43

Thanks again ladies. I will check the link to tj other thread out too and I've had a quick look at the gbss website which says there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to have a waterbirth which is good. I have a good team of midwives so will have a good chat with them when I'm next there. mistletoad from what I've read they don't routinely check for GBS in the uk mine showed up as I went to the Docs with a suspected thrush or bacterial infection. I think I can show up in urine tests too. The gbss website I think has a link to get a private test done.

OP posts:

KezzaT · 08/02/2011 23:41

During my 2nd pregnancy a routine urine test showed i had strep b, I was given antibiotics by my doctor and also had to have a swap taken, during labour i was to be administered 2 lots of antibiotics, 1 lot was administered but the 2nd was not administered in time before the birth, my baby had a canular fitted and was administered antibiotics twice a day plus baby was also given a lumber puncture, we were kept in hospital for a week whilst antbiotics were given to baby and the result of the lumber puncture showed strep b hadn't passed to baby who was born at 36 weeks 3 days. I also had a 14 month old waiting for me to come home who had never been parted from me before, a day away turned into a week which felt like a lifetime but lucky i had my husband to take over my role.

clarebear1 · 09/02/2011 11:56

I too found out i have this at about 27 weeks after having a swab for infection, first thing i did was google and panic so i booked an app with midwife who gave me loads of printed out info and put my mind at rest now.

We are lucky weve found out as someone else said, at least we know and midwifes can do all to prevent it being passed on.

She said they prob wont test again nearer to due date as it can come and go so will just use antibiotics in labour anyway. I had a 10 day course of oral antibiotics when i found out but its not necessary.

solo · 09/02/2011 16:51

I had IV ab's with my Dd and still gave birth in a pool. You shouldn't be hooked up to a drip at all IME.

sneakapeak · 09/02/2011 20:23

I had it with both my DC's.

I was tested lots of times before labour, ie 21 weeks, 28 weeks, 32 weeks and there was no Group B.
It was only when the waters broke it was discovered so routine testing in PG might be misleading - I can see their argument with that one.

Luckily my DS was fine although he was 6 days old when the results came back .

Again, luckily my waters went 3 days before DD arrived and the results came back in time for IV antibiotics.

If their is a 3rd time im hooking myself up to the IV drip before they wait on any results!

Both my DC's were born at 36.6 weeks. I always wondered if it was the group B that made my waters go with both of them with no signs of labour. Any thoughts?

solo · 09/02/2011 22:00

My waters didn't spontaneously break and Dd was 7 days late so it seems unlikely.

flowerfairy71 · 10/02/2011 21:21

if you have strep b and have a c-section do you avoid the risks?

solo · 10/02/2011 22:28

Yes I think so flowerfairy, because the strep is in the birth canal iirc and the baby is exposed to it during birth. I'd rather have the IV AB's again than a CS though.

CitizenOscar · 13/02/2011 22:11

I've just found out too (22 weeks). I was quite upset when I read the letter. I know it's good to know so we can stop it being passed on. I'm worried that being on a drip will mean I won't be able to move around as much as I'd like to during labour. Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

8rubberduckies · 14/02/2011 13:20

[Waves at citizenoscar] I carry Strep B as well, I found out because ds was ill after he was born as he caught it from me. I am not looking forward to limited movement during labour, being in hospital, or having a canula (I irrationally hate them)!!

doodledee · 14/02/2011 14:21

Each hospital trust may have a different policy - ask your midwife for a copy. I had GBS from swab taken when waters broke. I delivered 6 hours later - too soon for results or treatment but the thing that shocked and upset me was that i was never told about this - i discovered 'accidentally' when having a moodle through my blood/test results 2 years later (I work at hospital and have access to results). Although it was too late to treat me my daughter should have been observed closely for signs of illness.

Current policy at my trust:
Those who should be offered antibiotic treatment in labour include
1)women with previous baby infected with GBS
2)GBS in urine at any time in pregnancy regardless of subsequent results
3)GBS on vaginal swab on or after 35 weeks
4)woman with temperature >38C
5)women with prolonged rupture of membranes

The pre-delivery management is:
mum has IV penicillin every 4 hours during labour (given as a bolus NOT infusion so not attached to drip). If allergic to penicillin it is a 1 hour infusion every 4 hours
If C-section no treatment necessary if no fever

Despite my previous positive result i've been told i won't be routinely swabbed this pregnancy - however my mw says that if at 35 weeks i went to her complaining of discharge or thrush like symptoms they would have to do a routine swab so thats what i'm going to do!

mummysweeangel · 14/02/2011 14:35

Hi there, i had GBS (discovered after routine smear and swabs 6 years ago)-

When i was pregnant with my son (aged 2.5) i told the midwife about this - nothing else was mentioned until i was induced- they gave me an antibiotic drip during labour. That was about it as far as i can remember.

I ended up getting emergency CS but nothing else was mentioned about the GBS after the baby was born.

I think as long as they know you have it everything should be fine

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