Group B Strep

[pecanpie]

I've just found out at 37+4 that I have group B strep. Well done to the hospital who I chased in the weeks following the test for finally getting results to me 5 weeks later!!

Vaginal swab was conclusive, urine test inconclusive (something there, not sure what).

I've pressure the hospital for their shoddy follow up - including receiving a form letter with none of my personal details filled in and the associated results missing. As a result, I'm meeting with the senior midwife I spoke to tomorrow. What should I be asking in terms of ensuring my personal health and the health of my baby? I am still fuming that it's possible I could have gone into labour without the knowledge that I have Strep B and could have ended up with a sick baby - or worse.

If you go onto the www.gbss.org.uk website you can download and send for a big sticker to put onto your notes, my daughter did this, you also need to notify your Dr. and Midwife.She also put the test results in her folder on the relevent page, hope all goes well for you, x

I was sent some stickers in the post. They are on my notes.

From what I've read, I'm concerned that I've had symptoms, hence the swab and that I am at risk as well as my baby of complications.

When did your daughter go to hospital - i.e. as soon as she was in labour or later on?

My daughter was in labour for about 7 hours but when she went into hospital the baby had a problem and was born by emergency c section within half an hour so no chance for antibiotics, the baby was given intravenous ab's for 4 days and they had to keep an eye on her temp when they got home. Because everthing happened in a rush she couldn't have her intravenous ab's as planned 4 hours before the birth,she also had them after, they are both fine now 4 months on, the probs with the baby weren't caused by the strep b she had cord entanglement. Just keep reminding them while you are in labour especially during staff change overs.

I'm hoping it won't be such a long labour that there will be staff changeovers . Wishful thinking. Sounds like a traumatic labour/delivery for her and pleased they are doing well.

Twas all a bit off a rush at the end but the staff were brilliant, thank god,Southmead Hospital in Bristol. I would like to say that you mustn't worry what people say about giving babies intravenous ab's my Grandaughter has been fine since, just a bit of thrush easily treated and although I may be a bit biased she is absolutely stunning and I am sure you will feel the same when your little one very soon comes to meet you, x

Hi
I had Group B - had antibiotics during labour, and as I had a long labour that ended in an emcs she was treated for 4 days with iv antibiotics as well. She was absolutely fine though and is fit as a fiddle and a beautiful and healthy baby girl.

Just make sure it is clear - I had it written in bold at the top of my birth plan and the mw and doctors all knew about it. It's very common and handled really well. Good luck and all the best!

I'm hoping it's handled better than it has been so far - 5 weeks to get results just isn't acceptable and the risks had I gone into labour without having IV antibiotics don't bear thinking about. I have a friend who I know has GBS and one of her children had meningitis as a 4 week old, likely caused by GBS. I would absolutely have the IV antibiotics, I'm just concerned about the midwife on the day - last time I ended up with a locum midwife who was a bit useless plus wasn't allowed to do anything other than monitor me because she was a locum - it just meant everything took longer to get done. I just have a massive fear of the pregnancy not working out and now have this added complication - I don't believe I will actually have a baby until I am holding him, despite having done it twice before (felt the same then).

I will hold your hand and give you a hug every day :)

Try not to worry, although I know that is impossible - I was really worried before my labour as a result of having group b - I remember as soon as my waters broke I called hospital and told them I had group b - I just kept repeating it over and over and asking for the antibiotics over and over. Just keep insiting - and tell your birth partner to do the same.

Everything will be fine and you will have a beautiful and healthy dc here before you know it.

Thanks moregranny and MrsJ. I spoke to a midwife friend last night and a pregnant friend who has had GBS before and they both gave me some useful information. Pregnant friend mentioned NHS tests aren't so accurate so recommended a private test which can be done by post which has a much higher accuracy rating so may pursue for peace of mind. Otherwise, have sorted out my questions for my meeting with midwife today so hopefully will be a bit more relaxed by the end of the day!

I'm not asking this to be provocative - a genuine question which has me stumped.

I understand there is a difference between being a carrier of GBS - which 25% of women are - and having GBS infection. From what I had been told, being a carrier isn't necessarily a problem, and baby would be unlucky to get infected at birth from it, but actually having the 'live' infection is much more concerning and should be treated with antibiotics at birth, if not before as it can cause premature rupture of membranes.

I'm really glad to hear nobody on the thread had any adverse affect for baby from the antibiotics, I'd just really prefer not to have them unless they are absolutely medically indicated.

I tested positive as a carrier of GBS about a year before conceiving, and I understand it can come and go. In our area there is no NHS testing for GBS, so if you want to know you have to test privately. I'm in two minds about it.

I have tested positive for GBS infection - not as a carrier. What you've said makes complete sense - this is why testing is recommended at 35-37 weeks in order to pick up an actual infection.

You can test privately via the Doctor's Laboratory for £32 - they will send a pack in the post or by courier, you take a couple of swabs and send back and get the results 48 hours later by text, followed up by post to you and your medical team. Lab phone number to order a test is +44 (0)20 7307 7373

and you can find them online at www.tdlpathology.com . They even offered to courier the test to me today (at no cost to me) as I'm slightly over the test threshold and obviously want the results before I give birth.

From the research I've done offline, it's much safer for the mother to have an antibiotics IV during labour than it is for the baby to be fed antibiotics at birth.

The alternative/if there isn't time to get the antibiotics if you are known to have an infection, is that baby will stay in hospital to be observed for heavy breathing/grunting over the first couple of days. I guess it also makes sense to keep an eye out for funny rashes compatible with meningitis if baby seems unwell in first 3 months - my friend's daughter had a slight rash on the sole of one foot if I remember correctly at approx 4 weeks old.

Thanks for the info pecanpie - really helpful!

Good luck and hope your private test comes back negative xx

It's true that the nhs tst isn't as accurate as a private test - in as much as that they don't use the gold standard test and so positive women slip through the net and get the all clear. It's pretty safe to say that if you've come up positive on a nhs test, then the same will apply for a private test (at least, for a while - as mentioned, it can come and go).

I was gbs+ with DS2. Despite me warning them many times that I labour very quickly and there would be no chance of getting IV antibiotics in me, and suggesting that the IV be set up and then them induce me (as I would prefer to have the ab's vs giving them to a newborn) I was told it's not a good enough reason to induce and it'd be fine - I should just go straight to the hospital when I was in labour.

Once sure i was in labour, I went to the hospital. I got there at quarter to 6(pm) and when examined at around half 6 was 4cms. I told them I would expect to deliver within 40 minutes and it was quite clear they didn't believe me. 'Right, so I'll go and see about setting your IV up...' DS2 was born at 7 mins past 7.

Within 24 hours his infection markers were high and they told me they were going to start him on iv antibiotics. Which just slayed me - I felt my baby was going to suffer now, because I'd been ignored and/or dismissed. Even worse, they got me to help with the procedure of inserted his cannula - stupid doctor stuck him three times before finding his vein, his hand bent over in an unnatural shape, blaming his size 'he's so much bigger than the babies i usually work on, I can't see his veins' whilst I held my finger in his mouth to try and soothe him. Bloody awful it was.

I'm 12 weeks tomorrow. If everything works out with this pregnancy I will INSIST that I am listened to this time. In the scheme of things, I suppose we got off lightly, but I had flashbacks for ages and found it traumatic. I should have to have gone through that.

should not* have gone through that.

hi all
my daughter is 10 weeks pregnant had a home visit from midwife yesterday she had her results from her water sample which was taken on wednesday she told her to phone her gp on monday as they found she got a infection in her water which is strep b she said your gp might give u antibiotics all the midwife said that she would need antibiotics during labour
can the infection go away now if antiootics are given
is having a c section the safest opition
please help a worrield nannie x

morning ladies so do you get any symptoms to warn you about strep b r can you have an infection with no symptoms?

I went to hospital at 20 weeks thinking I was leaking waters. Dr did a smear test, found my waters were fine but the results showed I had GBS. Was given anti-biotics for 5 days and a leaflet about GBS.

Had my 20 week scan at 21 weeks by pure co-incidence and spoke to midwife about the anti-biotics I'd been given. She said it may have cleared up the infection but that they wouldn't re-test me and would just go ahead and give me the anti-biotics during labour. princess bonnie not sure if that answers your question a bit... I think your daughter should press her MW or GP for info if she's worried.

surf I had no symtoms at all, the fear of leaking waters was me being paranoid, not related at all. In my country (Northern Ireland) GBS isn't routinely screened for so I was very lucky in a weird way that I had it picked up on.

My maternity notes have 2 big stickers saying 'Alert GBS' makes me feel like a bit of a leper, but sure as long as me and baby are healthy that's all I care about.

I hadnt even heard of GBS when I had dd1. Turns out that I am a carrier and that she contracted it from me in her ambilical cord whilst in the birth canal.

She spent 2 weeks in SCBU very sick indeed but is nearly 7 now and has suffered no adverse affects from it at all.

I had the 4 hour course of antibiotics in labour with ds and he was fine.

I'm 33wks with dd2 and will be having same this time around without hesitation. Although I'm a bit concerned that I'll be too quick to get the full 4 hours but in my area the advice is a 12hr stay to monitor after birth if the full course of AB aren't given.

Hoping you all get through unscathed x

I had no symptoms. I tested positive. Ds was born 7 weeks early. I had IV antibiotics during labour. He had antibiotics. He nearly died - wasn't expected to live when he was a week old and spent 4 weeks in SCBU. He had all the symptoms of early onset GBS. Fortunately I knew about GBS as I know someone who lost their healthy baby when they were two hours old.

Insist on IV antibiotics at the labour. Once you are contracting contact the labour ward and tell them you are a carrier of strep as the antibiotics need 4 hours to work.

I tested positive at booking in and wss tqold id be on the drip in labout. Once in labour the sister said I wouldnt need the drip but I pushed for it and aaked to speak to a doctor who agreed.

They did a swab test just before I was ready to push which came back positive so I am so so glad I pushed for the drip. I really dont know why, given the risks, the sister tried to tell me "im sure you will both be fine" erm....well the antibiotics give me a guarantee.

Antibiotics should help but they certainly aren't a guarantee.

Oh and my local area test automatically but I would say to everyone that paying for the test is the wisest money you could spend when pg.

NI doesn't screen for GBS and many mums or pregnant women I speak to about my experiences look at me blankly when I tell them I have it and will need AB's when in labour with DC2.

I do think the more people talk about it (and other conditions) the more awareness we can spread.

N. Ireland