Group b?

[wishwales]

I am 26 weeks and was just told today that I tested positive for group b. Does anyone know what this means? I am in the hospital on bed rest (trying to hold off labor) with very little internet access so I thought the lovely MN ladies might be a good source of information.

You should be offered antibiotics intravenously whilst in Labour I believe ?
I tested positive at 23 weeks but at 35 weeks was negative again so baby was checked over but no antibiotics given during the birth.
The best time to test is normally 35-37 weeks as the strep group b come and goes in cycles -however obviously if you are on bed rest for a possible immenent labour then that fact that you have tested positive just now is significant.
If you can get internet access try www.gbss.org.uk

You are doing the correct thing by trying to inform yourself -The NHS can shrug off the importance of Group B strep as it is not something they believe in routinely testing for etc as they don't believe there are significant numbers effected.

I tested +ve with GB strep with DS at 37 weeks so had IV antibiotics in labour. The problem with it is that the baby can pick it up as they travel through the birth canal and develop GB strep infection which makes newborns very, very ill indeed. I have a friend whose baby got GB strep infection and was very poorly with it. Happily he was fine eventually but having seen the consequences it was very important for me to get tested. It can come and go as magenta said, so I'm sure you will be kept an eye on, but it's a good thing that it's been picked up. I think the stats are that as many as 25% of women are +ve it really should be a routine test IMO.