Group B Strep in previous pregnancy

[cowbiscuits]

Hi

I'm 29 weeks with DC#2. When I had DS I found out, through a chance when I was already overdue, that I had group B strep. So i had IV antibiotics while I was in labour and stayed in hospital for 24h after the birth. I also had a course of oral abx. Luckily everything was fine.

I thought I would be tested or something in my second pregnancy or there would be some attention paid to this. Is it likely to re-occur, or for me to still be carrying it?

I've been told by the midwife that they won't do anything this time, they won't specifically test for GBS or anything. Does this sound right? Should I push to have screening for it?

As far as I know, it's not routinely offered on the NHS although some do, and those are listed here:

gbss.org.uk/what-is-gbs/testing-for-gbs/ecm-test-where-how/

If not and you're worried, you can buy a home testing kit.

That's what happened with my second! They refused to test me. Said there was no need.
This pregnancy I've been tested "as routine" when they thought it was ectopic and again need anti biotics in labour. I really wish I pushed the testing with dd2, I don't think it's connected but she's always been a sicky kid, catches everything going and has a low immune system.
Doctors have said there's no reason for it and "it's one of those things" she's now 6 and has loads of tests over the years but nothing has showed up. you can pay private for test, which was my plan before I was in hosp with suspected ectopic but whether they give you anti biotics I don't know how it works x

I would push for screening. My son was born with it due my waters going and infection tracking up. I had never heard of it previously but had a very scary two weeks in hospital with him fighting the infection. We could have lost him or he could have suffered lifelong effects of the infection. We were very lucky but I wouldn't chance anything in your position. He is my last but I was told that any subsequent pregnancies would be closely monitored and antibiotics given before/during labour. Don't want to scare you but the reality if it is scary.

As you've had GBS in a previous pregnancy you will very likely be offered IV antibiotics in labour this time in any case.

GBS can come and go, so even if you were tested during pregnancy it would not predict whether the GBS would be present at the time if birth.

If GBS was identified in your urine during pregnancy ( for example when a specimen was sent to be analysed at booking, or if you developed a UTI), you would be offered antibiotics to treat that episode.

'Of' birth

NK2d So glad your son was OK. I didn't realise how just serious it could have been until I watched something on TV about it when my healthy little boy was a couple of weeks old, which made me quite upset.

I will talk to my midwife, again. The link GoooRooo gave suggests testing is most reliable when done after 35 weeks.

Cowbiscuits, as they treated you with IV antibiotics last time, they will offer you antibiotics again this time, regardless of test results so try not to worry.

What Izzy said. Testing not that reliable as comes and goes. Very high proportion of population have it anyway.

Check whether they intend to give you IV antibiotics when you go into labour - that's what they did for me - meant I had to go in relatively early on rather than waiting for things to progress a long way before going.

They didn't treat me with my second. I hope they do for you though, wonder if you can request them. My cousin is the only person I know who has been treat with every pregnancy, she's just had 4th but her eldest died as result of group b strep, wasn't diagnosed before delivery so now she's treat regardless. X

Actually they might not offer antibiotics, I had gbs with dc1 (8) and antibiotics in labour, with dc 2 (7) and 3 (6)I wasn't tested and wasn't offered antibiotics. with dc4 (4) I was tested, not sure why and found to have gbs again so had the antibiotics in labour again but wasn't tested with dc5(2) or dc6 (14 months) and again not offered antibiotics in labour

I understand that the testing is a bit unreliable and there are a lot of false negatives, but I really don't want this baby to be at risk.

Last time they told me I needed to have the IV abx 4h before birth and I was ringing the maternity unit in early labour and they were all like , " calm down It's ok you've got ages it's your first baby" but DS was born less than 3h after arriving, so I wouldn't be surprised if I have a fast labour this time.

Hi OP I had GBS in my previous pregnancy and like you had Iv abx during labour and stayed in for observation . I saw the consultant this time and asked about screening . He told me you dont get screened for it or recieve abx in subsequent deliveries unless your baby was ill . I wasnt happy so they agreed to screen me at 36 weeks . Good luck x

My midwife suggested I pay for the private test already mentioned above. I did it at 36 weeks and it came back positive so it was money well spent.

I was GBS in all three pregnancies, wasn't offered antibiotics in any. My dc2 was kept in and had swabs cultured but they didn't do that anymore for dc3.

I was told that as I had tested positive in one pregnancy, they would treat me as having GBS in every subsequent pregnancy (and they did) without retesting (as the tests are unreliable).

Where I have worked (London) we didn't necessarily retest, but always treated everyone in labour for GBS if they had ever had a positive test. It didn't matter if it was in a previous pregnancy. It is a perfectly normal bacteria to have only a problem when it gets into your baby! There is no guarantee that a baby will catch it in labour and lots of undiagnosed mums must deliver regularly with no problem. But I would double check your hospital policy, and if they don't treat I would insist on speaking to a doctor pre labour to discuss it. Check out these guys gbss.org.uk/what-is-gbs/for-pregnant-women/ I used to refer all my women to read up on this site.