Group B Strep Testing - 35-37 weeks pregnant

[ng1412]

Hi all, just watching This Morning and they mentioned the importance of getting tested for Group B Strepp around 35-37 weeks pregnant. Apparently some health trusts offer it but not all.

You can get home testing kits apparently (am about to check it out) - all details are on This Morning's website.

Also check out www.gbss.org.uk for further details.

Am 36 weeks. Received mine this morning from The Doctor's Lab! Good that more awareness is spreading.

I had never even heard of it before which is very worrying. No-one has mentioned it to me, so sitting on my sofa watching This Morning has done me some good for once it seems.

My daughter passed away from early onset infection. The bacteria was not identified but GBS was thought to be the most likely cause. I didn't read up anything in my first preg. and was naive. But it is important to realise that death from infection is v v rare.

This scared the-you-know-what out of me! I'd never heard of it before, I'm 39+4 with my first and basically I guess its too late for me to order a test, recieve it, send it off and get the results back - let alone have the treatment if I need it. Guess its in the hands of the gods now, but I really think its something mums-to-be should at least be made aware of. It is a slight comfort to know that death from the infection is v v rare. I'm very sorry for you sh77 that you lost your daughter to this, my heart goes out to you.

i've just tested positive for this a few weeks ago. The advice i was given by my midwife is that you can test negative one day and positive the next. It's for this reason that alot of health authoraties don't test routinely.

However because i have tested positive for it during this current pregnancy i will be offered IV antibiotics during labour.

sh77, I'm so sorry to hear of your daughter. I can understand why you have ordered the test for this pregnancy.

We briefly covered Group B Strep at our NCT antenatal classes. Based on the fact that you can swing between testing positive and negative at various points in time, that I don't have any of the risk factors that might have presented themselves so far, and also the very very low occurrence of bad outcomes, I made a decision at that time that I wouldn't test for it.

I must admit that This Morning made me waver a bit, but I think I might be a bit too late now to change my decision about testing so hopefully I've made the right one in my case.

I'm so glad for the NCT classes, for this and lots of other things - there's just so much that the midwives (lovely as they are) haven't covered with me so NCT has been a great source of this sort of info for me.

It's so difficult to know what to do for the best but I think for peace of mind I will go ahead and get the test.

sh77 sorry to hear of your daughter, it must have been dreadful.

I missed this on This Morning but my Mum told me about it.

Im just wondering though, if your docs dont do it and you order a test yourself, if it comes back positive what do you do then? Will the docs treat you?

Thanks :)

I really don't see why you wouldn't test for it -Its surely better to be forewarned ? I know we have so much to worry about during pregnancy allready but this is something that if we don't do ourselves unfortunatelt the NHS won't do it for us as they don't consider it a big enough risk to spend money on. It is rare that babies will die but sadly some do , it can also lead to pneumonia and menengitis-I really think it is worth doing.
Its around £30 privately.
The NHS will sometimes test if you push for it but the NHS tests aren't very acurate as my midwife told me and DR Chris said on This morning.
The Private ones have a 90 percent accuracy . You just call one of the private clinics they send you a test pack (which is a swab) you send it back and I think I called for my results /got them back in the post about 5days /a week later.

It is true that its goes in cycles -I tested positive for Strep B at about 24 weeks pregnant. The private test at 36 weeks showed I was then negative so I wasn't treated during labour but it was put on my notes that I was a carrier and docs decided to keep me in over night after birth just as a precaution to check that baby was ok.

I am pregnant with DC3 now and will definately do the test again privately at 36/37 weeks -My consultant at the hospital has said they wouldn't treat just now but If the private test came back positive they would be happy to then treat me with anti biotics during labour.
Justbeingmummy-The NHS docs don't have a problem with treating you for it if you have tested positive through private tests.

I did the test just before DD was born - was one less thing to worry about, worth £30 or so!

Thanks magentastardust _ thats good to know, will defo do a private test in a couple of weeks when im 36 weeks then x

Thank you everyone.

NHS test has a 50% chance of showing a true positive. Private one=90%. On the form, you have to state details of your MW and obstetrician so they will receive the results.

Can someone send me a link for a decent private place please, I have no idea where to start x

www.tdlpathology.com/

Call them up and they will send the kit.

justbeing, here is the link to the site which lists the suppliers:

www.gbss.org.uk/content.php?section_id=3&sub_id=2&content=Testing%20For%20All

Sorry it's so long! I have opted for Mumstuff, ordered it today.

Thats brill, thanks very much :) x

Or you can just go to the doc and tell them you have a bot o a sore itchy fanjo and have noticed a bit more discharge and they will do a test for you. Results back in a couple of days and a while lot cheaper. Personally k think a doc is gonna be able to take a better swab than I could at any rime let alone when I'm 30 odd weeks pregnant and can barely reach down there!

the test privately is a different test to the one the NHS do. Very complicated and I cant explain but google it. The test done privately has a much lower false negative score = so worth the 30 odd quid imho