31 Weeks and positive GBS

[Shyera]

Just found out that I have GBS which was found in my urine after they thought i had a UTI.

Really worried about this as I have history of preterm labour and very quick labours. Wondering if they might suggest a C section but my midwife appointment not until tomorrow feels like forever away.

Please do not panic. It's incredibly common. My MW was really blasé about it, even though I labour quickly she just said come in as soon as anything starts to get the anti-biotic, and if they don't manage 4 hours before baby is born then they will keep us in longer for observation. I am allowed to use birth centre and even birth pool. They will give you more info tomorrow and hopefully a leaflet, so please don't panic or assume c section necessarily required.

thank you, just don't want the little one to have to go through anything too traumatic afterwards.

Whilst helium is right, you shouldn't panic, it's likely you will have to be your own advocate.

For most women and their babies it won't cause a problem. But for a small number, the consequences can be devastating - there are many very sad stories here on MN.

I was found to be GBS+ with DS2 after repeated UTI's. After doing some reading up I became concerned that a) I labour quickly (my first labour only 5hours 15mins, the next 1 hour 40 mins) and b) I'm allergic to penicillin and the alternative iv antibiotic they use, I think, needs a little more than the advertised four hours to do its thing. I said I was very sure I wouldn't get to the hospital in time for the abs and the mw was indeed blase 'oh, just come along when you first feel anything...' I asked about being induced, the abs started before the induction. 'Oh, that's not a reason to induce'

Fast forward to 40+2 and I go into spontaneous labour. Ds2 shoots out 1 hour 20 or so minutes after I arrive there. IV wasn't even set up. He screamed the place down for 48 hours, his infection markers high by the following morning and so they got me to help get a cannula in him and gave him abs for four days. Totally traumatic especially as I felt i hadn't been listened to and it could have been avoided if I was. he's ok, thankfully, but I still carry sadness/anger over his first few days on the earth because I just wasn't heard.

Currently 22 weeks. I'm definitely being more assertive - and the consultant has agreed that I could be induced, starting abs prior to that. However, he's left the service now so waiting to see if the new consultant at my 28 weeks appointment agrees or if I will have to kick up a fuss

Do some reading and come to a conclusion that works for you. Conversely to how I feel, there are women who fight to avoid the abs, so there are definitely differing viewpoints out there - it's just what is right for you.

My dd1 had spesis due to gbs. She was born at 31 weeks. My dd2 and ds2 were both born at 33 weeks. I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant and my consultant wants to give me abs during the pregnancy as he thinks that the gbs is causing infections and triggering prem labour. Anyone heard of this as all I can find is the abs they give in labour?

Manda and Sparkly - really to sorry you both had such a traumatic time and hope your LO's are all fighting fit.

I've seen a few threads on GBS on here and it's starting to get discussed with me now I'm in the third trimester. I understand there is a difference between carrying GBS (which up to 30% of women do without knowing and doesn't usually cause any problems) and being infected with GBS, which can cause premature rupture of membranes and pass to the baby more easily. Sparkly I don't know what they give, but yes I have heard other people diagnosed with GBS infection getting preventative antibiotics during pregnancy to try and prevent pre-term labour. I was also in a consultant's waiting room with a woman whose first baby had been born at 28 weeks due to premature rupture of membranes causes by GBS which was the first time I was really aware of the link (baby was by then three and running around and full of beans at the time so had come through it fine!).

Did either of you actually have GBS infection diagnosed, or were you just told you had the bacteria present and still advised to get the anti-bs? It seems everyone I talk to is confused about this...it seems that there is good evidence that the anti-bs are necessary when there is infection, but less of a case when you a 'just' a carrier.

TIA!

Shyera also meant to say first, really sorry to hear that but fab they picked it up. Didn't mean to hijack your thread!!

I was told that because dd1 had gbs and sepsis that I should just have the abs in labour last time. My first son was born at 35 weeks and the consultant thinks I'm defo. a carrier and it's causing the preterm labours. The mw suggested that I pay for the private test but when I read up on it they only do it between 35-40 weeks which I think I will be lucky to get to tbh.

Sparkly as it sounds like you are at risk, can't the consultant do the GBS test in his clinic NOW, and then give you the anti-biotics if he thinks that's the cause of the pre-term labours? It would be mad for them to make you wait until 35 weeks in your case (and to make you do a private test when it's already been identified as a potential risk factor).

I think the usual advice to wait after 35 weeks in 'normal' circumstances is that GBS can come and go. I was told I was a carrier when I had a swab a while ago, but they told me that result irrelevant as it might have disappeared by the time I get closer to delivery, so to repeat it later on.

In your case, it sounds like you'd be completely justified in pushing to have it now and get the anti-bs to get rid of the infection ASAP...?

I have an appointment next wed with the consultant. I had diabetes in my last pregnancy and he wants to make sure my blood sugars are ok as the risk of infection is greater with gd. So far they are all over the place so I'm getting worried

Bless sparkly really sorry to hear that. Can you discuss GBS testing and anti-bs in pregnancy with him then? I'd add it to your list if I was you. Both these things add to your risk factors so he should be dealing with them simultaneously.

I don't have any advice but keeping fingers crossed that all goes well for you xx

Thankyou for all true supportive advice and sorry to hear that some of u have had such bad experiences.

Just got back from gp and they don't know much. Don't know if carrier or infected. They want to re test on Monday. In the meantime talk to midwife tomorrow and ask to bring my consultant appointment forward.

Really annoying that they didn't know much.

I found this website quite useful, if you haven't found it already.
www.gbss.org.uk
If you can talk with your consultant, so much the better. I know from another pg complication that mw's, gp's and sho's all give different answers, best to try for the consultant.

Thought i would update u all, my midwife is supporting me to have a planned induction. Just got persuade the consultant now.

But recently had a scare thought baby was on the way, went to the hospital and told the doctor on duty that i have gbs and he was asking me why i had been tested for it, like it was a bad thing. The cheek of him, im glad i was tested. This goes to show why the health system make so many mistakes with attitudes like that.

My DD had sepsis from GBS when she was 2 weeks old. Up until then, I didn't really know that I was a carrier and I still don't really as she had it when she was older than newborn, so may have picked it up from elsewhere in the environment. Thankfully she is 3 years old and healthy now, it made her very, very ill and we almost lost her but she pulled through.

The link to GBSS above is a good one and should explain it all.

Please try not to worry too much, apparently about a third of women carry it and most of their babies are fine. For some reason it just affects a few, so it is quite rare. But it does pay to be careful and try to eliminate the risks as much as you can. I'm glad your MW is helping you, hopefully you can have the antibiotic drip to reduce the risk.

It may be worth looking up the symptoms in babies (there are lots, some quite vague), so at least you can keep an eye on your baby for the first few weeks and get help if you need it. I had no idea she was so ill, I just thought she had colic as she was screaming so much and not feeding, but suddenly she was struggling to breathe and turning a weird bluey greeny white colour.

You'll probably be fine though as it really is quite rare. Good Luck.

Thankyou for your advice. Feeling better now, my main concern is trying to avoid the baby having to be treated or put in the neonatal unit.

Had my appointment with the consultant this week, they are not interested in suporting me with a planned induction. I was told it has too high a failure rate.

I expressed my concerns with the hospital as have had bad experiences with them before, but i have no choice in the hospital that i go to as i labour quick and all the others are too far away. So here is to letting nature take its course.