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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Worries about Strep B

19 replies

caitlinsmummy · 26/11/2006 11:32

Hi I am currently 6 weeks pregnant, wss told last week I have tested positive for Strep B, bn told not to worry, but can't help it... Anyone got any info xx

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Original poster
caitlinsmummy · 26/11/2006 11:34

Hi I am currently 26 weeks pregnant , was told las week I have tested positive for Strep B , bn told not to worry, but cnt help it. Anyone got any info xx

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bobblehead · 26/11/2006 16:48

I had it when pg with dd. Nothing to worry about, I was given iv antibiotics at hospital during labour. Turned out labour was too short for them to all go through/work so I think dd was given an injection. We were both fine anyway

SnafuOutOfHiding · 26/11/2006 17:06

GBS site

Try not to worry. GBS colonisation can come and go throughout pregnancy, so even if you have it now, you may not have it later in the pregnancy or when you go into labour. However, since you've tested +ve now, you'll be offered intravenous antibiotics during labour, and the baby will probably be swabbed at birth and monitored for 24 hours.

Frenchsmallfry · 26/11/2006 17:22

Really try not to worry. strep B is not a problem if know about before. They can take the correct measures to make everything smooth for you and baby. Personally I see it along the lines of resus neg blood group. ie could be a prob but not if known about

Original poster
caitlinsmummy · 26/11/2006 22:01

Hi . Th anx so much for yr kind words and I now feel better about it. After suffering 2 miscarriages after having my 5 yr old daughter I jus thought "Great, this is all I need." But midwife has told me I will b given anti biotics thru an iv drip when I go into labour. Scary, but now I feel better after reading al yr replies. Thanku again xx

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rainbowgirl · 27/11/2006 19:46

bump.. have been worrying about this too.. i really want to be tested for it but they keep saying the test isn't reliable??

Ettenna · 28/11/2006 16:44

Caitlinsmummy, did your GP test you or was it a private one?

shhhh · 28/11/2006 16:51

Mum has shown me an article from the paper today about it..How do you know if you have it..? Is it routinly tested for..?

lilKel · 28/11/2006 16:58

Hi, very interested to know, what if you have a c-section (ie, no labour...?)

binkacat · 28/11/2006 17:22

If you have a c-sec then you wouldn't need anti-b's as there isn't really time for the infection to be passed to baby. The infection can only pass once the amniotic sac has been broken - obviously once this is done in an alective section the baby is out very quickly.

The hospital might take a nasal swab from baby to see if anything grows and if so give baby antib's

rainbowgirl · 28/11/2006 18:59

i don't think they handle the strep-b thing in this country very well, from everything i've read.

any experts out there?

i asked my midwife today; she said i can request a test but the test isn't reliable and the bug tends to come and go anyway.

i guess you could insist on the antibiotics during labour. i might do this as apparently they only take 20 mins to come thru or something, and in my first labour, i ended up with an infection of my womb afterwards, which may or may not have been down to strep B, amazingly they never tested for it (tho they must have tested DD you'd have thought?)

Frenchsmallfry · 28/11/2006 19:14

It is tested routinly in pregnancy in France by Vaginal swab. I was unaware though that it is not very accurate. I was teste here with dd twice i think but I can not for the life of me remamber at what gestation.

Frenchsmallfry · 28/11/2006 19:16

Sorry, should have previewed and re-read to correct sp before posting.

shhhh · 28/11/2006 20:58

so I take it that in the uk we aren't tested unless we push for it..?

Doesn't it possibly cause baby to be brain damaged..?? Well if its passed to baby..? Shocking if they don't routinly test..? Those of you with it how did you find out..I understand from a test but how did you come about being tested..Gosh at 31 weeks myself I am a little worried..

bobblehead · 28/11/2006 21:36

I'm in Canada and my Dr does it routinely. I was tested at around 36 weeks I think with a vaginal and anal swab (always pleasant!)
Think it can lead to complications if baby catches it during delivary that can be serious, but not necessarily which is why not everyone tests for it.

binkacat · 28/11/2006 21:42

But if you test negative for it at 36 weeks when they test in Canada - you could be positive by the time you give birth. You can be negative one week and positive the next. Or positive one week and negative the next.

The UK tests are only approx 50% accurate as well.

If you have GBS it won't always be passed to baby. If it is passed to baby then it can be treated IF picked up on.

lilKel · 29/11/2006 16:43

Hi, I had StrepB when I delivered my DS naturally (though I didn't know it at the time). He stopped breathing immediately after birth & nearly didn't come back. Thank God for the doctors who were there & the antib afterwards...but I will do whatever I can beforehand this time to find out if I have StrepB or not, because I'm not going through that ordeal again if I can help it.

Though I'm planning a section this time round, I heard the baby can still get StrepB. I think I'm going to have to ask for testing of the baby immediately after birth. It can cause very serious problems including death, so not worth messing around...

elibumbum · 29/11/2006 16:54

They don't routinely test in the UK. Not all GBS carriers pass it on to their babies during labour - so just because you carry it doesn't mean that your baby will have it.

I insisted on a test at 36 weeks. No point being tested earlier because it comes and goes. I was a carrier at 36 weeks and I had IV antibiotics in labour.

Try not to worry too much. It is better that you know you are a carrier as the medical staff will be on the look out for any problems - they have a low threshold for treating babies so your lo should be fine. The GBSS website is very good and you can download a very helpful booklet which will tell you every thing you need to know.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and the birth!

Original poster
caitlinsmummy · 29/11/2006 17:28

Hey lots of messages since I last logged on. Yeah it is apparently only a worry if it is not picked up on, it is also true that it can come n go, and a c section does NOT help at all, both my midwife and dr told me this, and on the strep b website, dr told me also that even if its not picked up then the majority of babies are still ok. Also mine's was only picked up during routine swab for thrush

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