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Pregnancy

Group B strep

20 replies

kbaby · 20/03/2004 18:55

Hello,

Would someone be able to help me please. I read a bit in one of the books about Group B strep. It didnt really say much other than its a infection that is in the birth canal and can be passed on to the baby.
Does anyone know anymore about it. ie what will it do to the baby? Also would a mw routinely check for it or would I need to request that I got tested.
Thanks Kbabt
edd 23/5/04

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Grommit · 20/03/2004 19:55

kbaby - this in an infection that a high number of adults carry. If you are infected it can be passed to baby during the birth. In the UK you preganant women are not routinely tested for strep B. I was also worried when pg last year so I told my midwife that I had a discharge so that I could get the strep B test! The problem is that even if you are tested and it is positive it can recurr (even if cleared by antibiotics). If you are suspected of having strep B then I believe you could be administered antibiotics during childbirth. There are other threads on this - I am sure I started one...HTH

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wobblyknicks · 20/03/2004 20:01

kbaby - there's not nearly enough info about strep b given out. I would get in touch with the Strep B support group and get some info from them. Before I had dd, I didn't have a clue what it was, or how common but dangerous it is, and the mw never even mentioned it. When dd was born, strep B was present in her swabs and it ended up with us both spending 2 panicky weeks in hospital with dd on antibiotics and so lethargic that we never managed to get bfing well established (which meant I had to switch to bottles much earlier than I liked).

Not trying to scare you but if you get all the information now, you can request the test (which no-one offers routinely but is available if you ask) and also you'll know the facts before you need them.

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Demented · 20/03/2004 21:30

Here's the link Group Strep B Support . Loads of useful information.

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butterflymum · 24/03/2004 22:00

Links to discussions about Strep b already posted on Mumsnet can be found:

here
and
here
and
here

Hope these help.

butterfly

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Bubu · 24/03/2004 22:34

kbaby

I had a urine infection when pregnant last year and they discovered Group B Strep. They gave me antibiotics to clear it but as soon as you go into labour you have to tell the mw (although it should be in your notes) that you have this and you are immediately put on antibiotic drip which hopefully stops it being given to the baby, however the baby is taken away after birth and given their own antibiotic drip (in his foot - poor wee soul) for a couple of days until they are sure they don't have it. Although not routinely checked in this country you can be tested for it privately which I was told would cost about £18 or there abouts. Anyway my gorgeous baby boy didn't have it thankfully and the hole in his foot from the antibiotics cleared up quickly enough. Only problem was after the birth they took him away to do this and I didn't see him for 4 hours!!!

Hope this helps.

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kbaby · 28/03/2004 17:06

Thanks, Ill take a look at the website and do the test privatly. I cant beleive that something which could so easily be prevented is not routinely tested for on the NHS.

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kbaby · 28/03/2004 18:38

Sorry me again. Ive logged onto the gbs support website and they provide a link to a company that do the test, apparently they are called ecm tests. But on the companies website I cant find any info about the tests.
Does anyone have a web address for the company who do the testing.

Thanks
xxx

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sparkle · 30/03/2004 16:58

Hi Kbaby,

I found these details about the company who do the test.

The Doctors Laboratory
Tel: 020 7460 4800
Email: [email protected]
www.tdlplc.co.uk

Thanks for starting the link, it's now something I will look into further. I'm now 32+3 weeks and due on the same day as you.

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butterflymum · 30/03/2004 17:37

I believe Jane at GBSS is trying to get The Doctor's Laboratory to include GBS testing information on their main site.

You can download the leaflet (with full details) from the GBSS website.

Click on 'Can I find out if I carry GBS' on their right-hand menu. Then, on the blue screen that appears, scan down to the word 'here (in bright pink), click on that. Another blue screen with various headings/items appears. Scan down until you see 'For the leaflet on this test, please follow this link' (this link being in bright pink) and click on same. If you have adobe reader, a copy of the leaflet should appear. You can save it to your computer and print it.

butterfly

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prufrock · 01/04/2004 11:48

Hoping one of you very knowledgable people will be able to help me. I'm 34 weeks pregnant and just diagnosed with GBS after a urine test due to high levels of protien. My (normally wonderful) midwife didn't seem unduly concerned so neither was I. She put bright yellow stickers all over my notes and jsut said I would need IV antibiotics at the birth. Now I've read a bit more I'm geting worried.

Firstly - should I be being treated with antibiotics myself? I am feeling quite ill, very tired, on and off wobbly, breathless all the time and being sick. Could this be caused by the infection or is it just normal late pregnancy combined with my Obstetric Cholestasis?

Secondly - due to the OC I amhaving an elective c-section at 37 weeks. Does this make it more or less likely that the baby will contract GBS? Is IV antibiotics for 4 hours prior to the birth the only thing I will need to prevent this, and how efective is this?

I know I'm lucky to have been diagnosed -I'm just not that sure what to do now I have been.

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Podmog · 01/04/2004 12:15

Message withdrawn

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BluGhost · 01/04/2004 12:15

No expert on the Anti-biotics and CS, but I was found to be carrying Srep B after DS's birth. It won't be causing you to feel ill or poorly, it's just one of the 'common or garden' bacteria that live on us (apparantly about a third of people have it, all the time!).
Sorry you're feeling rough and now have this to worry about, but at least it has been diagnosed, so can be dealt with and will not pose a risk.

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Demented · 01/04/2004 17:11

Prufrock, the Strep B Support Group has some fantastic information, I posted a link further down. I had IV antibiotics during both my labours and then a course of antibiotics following and I believe this is still considered the best way to deal with it, as Podmog says there is no point, unless it is the GBS that is making you ill, in having the antibiotics now as it may just come back in time for birth and that is the time it is a problem.

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fairygirl · 01/04/2004 18:15

prufrock I know how worrying it can be, I found out I was gbs positive in my first pregnancy five years ago. I have been very lucky and gone on to have 4 healthy babies. I found the gbs support group to be really helpful do phone them and they will answer any questions you might have. Its best to find out as much as you can as in my experience many midwives and doctors still don't know enough about gbs.

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mears · 01/04/2004 18:23

Prufrock - groupB strep in the urine should be treated with oral antibiotics just now because it is an actual urine infection. It could be making you feel unwell as urine infections do. Unless the report stated that it was contamination but a repeat sample should be checked to make sure.

IV antibiotics are not required for an elective C/S. It is only needed for labour or if your waters break.

You will see the info about strepB in the urine on the main page of this link to the gbss website
gbss

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kbaby · 04/04/2004 22:19

Thanks ive emailed the company and requested the test. My friend mentioned it to me last night as her friends brother has just had a baby and it is infected because they didnt realise the mother had gbs. The baby is in special care receiving antibiotics and is said to be quite ill. It also swallowed muconium. At least by doing these tests we can prevevnt anything similar from happening. Although I have also heard that you have to make sure the midwife in care of you when you go into labour gives antibiotics as in some cases they seem to be a bit blase about it and some havent heard about gbs and seem in no rush to administar the antibiotics!!

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butterflymum · 16/05/2004 02:23

For any mums/mums-to-be on this thread (and indeed, any in the Pregnancy forum) who may be interested, a new Early Day Motion has been raised to try and get MP's to once again focus on the issues surrounding Group B Strep (GBS) and the need for more standardised information/testing/treatment of same.

If you feel able to help support this by asking your MP to sign the EDM, please see the thread Strep B (new Thread from 17/3/04) for more details.

Thanks.

butterfly

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dinny · 03/09/2004 23:31

How fast did those of you GBS+ in preg get to hospital when labour started? It's my second - should I go as soon as I think I'm in labour to get IV antibitotics?

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mears · 04/09/2004 00:17

Dinny - you do not need to worry too much about this. If you think you are in labour, do go to the hospital. If you are confirmed to be in labour you will get antibiotics. If not, you will be observed until labour starts. If labour is really fast then baby will be observed for 48 hours and swabs taken. As long as your waters have not broken then baby is pretty muh protected. If your waters break before labour starts you should go to hospital.

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dinny · 04/09/2004 07:28

Thanks, Mears. I have been scaring myself reading up on this some more. I've read it can cross the membranes and cause problems pre-delivery too. Really anxious now. Won't the baby have my antibodies to protect it? Thanks for posting. d x

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