Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

group B strep test

26 replies

Cornberry · 30/03/2015 14:12

I asked my MW about this and she said they don't test for it on thr NHS so I accepted that. But I have a friend who knows someone who lost a baby with strep B and she's freaking me out. Does anyone know if this is something to worry about and get checked privately? Has anyone been tested for this or have any experience of this? Thanks

OP posts:
WindYourBobbinUp · 30/03/2015 14:17

I was checked on the NHS in a routine urine test. It was quite late on in pregnancy though, I think around 32 weeks that they tested and picked it up. You don't say how far along you are but perhaps ask again when you're further along?

Original poster
Cornberry · 30/03/2015 14:24

I'm 18 weeks. The midwife indicated that the NHS don't test for it as it's not deemed necessary as a routine test. It must depend on where you live... I was wondering if it's worth testing privately?

OP posts:
ambientolf · 30/03/2015 14:26

I also asked about this. The midwife told me they don't test for it as you could have it one day, but not the next. So there is no point to the testing but as wind says - it can be picked up from urine tests

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 30/03/2015 14:26

I was pregnant and had my dcs in Germany, where the test is done routinely. My midwife wrote all about it in my book in large, red letters and drummed into me to ask for intravenous antibiotics because of the strep infection as soon as I set foot into hospital. They took it very seriously and if I was pregnant again here I would pay for the test privately.

What would be the consequence, though, if you tested positive in a private test? Would the nhs treat the infection if they knew about it?

lunalovegood84 · 30/03/2015 15:05

A workmate of mine had a baby with strep B after birth and he told me about it (baby was fine but it was a very worrying situation for them). I did a mail order test which is supposedly more accurate than the NHS urine one. It was about £35. Mine was negative but they send the results to your doctor and I believe you would be given antibiotics if you were positive.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 30/03/2015 15:08

Yes it is worth testing privately. Maybe aroubnd 34/35 weeks so you can have a course of ABs if you are positive. It comes and goes so if you test now its not certain that you will have it during labour.

I tested +ve every time I got checked, and needed to be on an AB drip during both my labours.

WindYourBobbinUp · 30/03/2015 15:15

About a third of women are carriers and it comes and goes, so it's worth knowing the symptoms in a baby even if you don't test positive for it.
I had an emcs in the end so didn't have any antibiotics

birchwoods · 30/03/2015 15:35

A friend of mine also had this and advised me to get tested. I asked my MW and she said you can pay for it at 36/37 weeks (£70) but as a previous poster said, you can buy the tests online to do at home and send off to the lab so I'm going to do that. There are certain groups who are campaigning for this to be tested for routinely as it is in other countries, I think it's something the NHS are keeping quiet about so women are blissfully unaware of how dangerous it can be. Now that I know about it though I will definitely get tested, I can't not.

Sycamore76 · 30/03/2015 15:41

Def get the test. Strep b is very dangerous . I found out I was strep b at 39 weeks pregnant due to abnormal discharge. I was advised I would have to have antibiotics during labour but this didn't happen due to a very quick labour. Consequently my three week old had to have antibiotics as soon as she was born and we ended up in special care for 6 days due to an abnormal blood test. Luckily she is fine as they knew about the strep b but if not she would have been very poorly. Makes me angry that they don't routinely test for this at late pregnancy .

KeepSmiling83 · 30/03/2015 15:44

I paid £35 to have it done privately. I did the test at home and sent it away and got the results a few days later. On the paperwork it said to have it done between 35 and 37 weeks. Results were sent to me and my midwife. I had it done after reading an article about how many babies it affects and what the consequences could be.

MorgansMummy24 · 30/03/2015 16:21

I was tested by the NHS and it was routine.

shinynewnamechange · 30/03/2015 16:28

Get tested routine testing is not done on the NHS as is not deemed cos effective and their test is inaccurate anyway.

My nephew died at birth from grouup b strep and I tested for it because of this. DC3 I was positive. She became infected (too fast labour foor ABs) but as they were monitoring her we had ABs in hospital for a week and she was fine. Would/could have been a very different story.

All info on how and when to test here

shinynewnamechange · 30/03/2015 16:30

Sorry 1 handed typing!

MorgansMummy24 · 30/03/2015 16:51

it must depend on where you live as it is done routinely where I am

Lauramum23 · 30/03/2015 16:55

I've been tested during 3 pregnancys and all positive. With the first it was because I had lots of discharge so I was tested. So with each labour I had antibiotics.

MorgansMummy24 · 30/03/2015 16:55

I was tested because I went into premature labour at 36 weeks, tested positive and was given antibiotics during labour

Original poster
Cornberry · 30/03/2015 17:12

Wow thanks so much for your responses. I will definitely find a way to get tested. I can't believe this isn't routinely tested everywhere :(

OP posts:
StrawberryMojito · 30/03/2015 17:18

I had it and dd caught it during delivery. She started having apnoeas (lapses in breathing) later that day and had to go into intensive care whilst she had a course of anti biotics.

Get the test but much later in your pregnancy.

BreeVDKamp · 31/03/2015 14:43

Our hospital checks for GBS when you go into labour or when your waters break, maybe it's the same at your hospital?

Original poster
Cornberry · 31/03/2015 14:48

I will ask midwife at next appointment but when I asked at first appointment she seemed to imply I was being over cautious. I'm definitely going to investigate and if they don't do it I'll do it privately. Thanks for advice everyone.

OP posts:
Zahrah5 · 31/03/2015 16:37

Thanks guys for posting this.

I did ask midwife last time also about the testing and she told me it is not needed and made me look like I was preoccupated first time mother.

I have read the resources linked here and ordered the testing pack.

It is incredible this is not being routinely done, especially if consequences can be fatal for the baby. Or at least they could inform us about the risks and offer to perform the test for a co-pay?

Im not crazy to have to be ordering kits and doing swabs myself (not even sure if I get it right), would prefer to pay midwife to get it done on the spot at the appointment and get it out of my way, but I guess that is not how system works.

SnowwyJane · 01/04/2015 12:57

I got refered to a consultant and he reassured me saying that I can have a strep b test from when i am 34 weeks onward but he said that strep b can only be passed when the membranes break so it's not always worth doing a test...

Chocoholic26 · 02/04/2015 08:25

I asked the mw three times and it was brushed under the carpet. Continued to ask and eventually another lovely mw gave me a swab to test at home myself and hand in to my health centre. Still waiting on results. The health of our babies should be paramount, keep asking or def try private. I would have gone private if nhs refused. X

ChatEnOeuf · 02/04/2015 18:23

I tested privately at 35w (only about £30, well worth it) in my first pregnancy - negative, and as it happened DD was born one push after her waters went. I'm now in Belgium where testing is routine at 34w which I'm delighted about. I've seen how quickly GBS can strike, I definitely want to know if I'm carrying it near term.

BreeVDKamp · 03/04/2015 20:12

Chat did you go through a private clinic thing or use an online service? Don't know if the latter exists. I'd just gave no idea how to take a test privately?