Group B Strep Positive at 38 weeks

[Newfamily2014]

Hello,
Had a routine urine test last week and got a call today to say that I am group B strep positive in my urine. Urine sample wasn't a true mid stream sample as I didn't really need to go.
All other urine throughout pregnancy has been ok.
Midwife phoned to tell me and advised me to get antibiotics from the GP. But when GP has phoned me back she can't see the result on her system. Really hoping there is a mistake somewhere.
Anyone any experience of this? Getting worried.

Hi

Strep B can come and go at any time, you could test positive to it in early pregnancy and then it's gone later on or test at 38 weeks and be negative but then at 40 weeks be positive.

I would just take it as you are positive to strep B and not to take any chances, Re the doctor, the midwife has probs just not updated the system yet... I'd try and call the doctor back tomorrow, a positive test is a positive test regardless of the urine stream.

TBH I'm surprised they're giving you antibiotics at 38 weeks as you could treat it and it be back again by 40 weeks or when you go into labour.

I tested positive for it via a private swab test at 37 weeks, they didn't give me antibiotics but as soon as I went into labour I had to go into the maternity ward and they gave me two lots of intravenous antibiotics to try and combat it.

Its very nasty (not to us but to the baby) especially when your waters go and the baby starts to enter the birth canal.

Just don't take any chances

For more info:

gbss.org.uk/who-we-are/about-gbs/what-is-gbs/for-pregnant-women/

I had this with both of mine. At 38weeks a course of ABs should ensure you are clear by labour but id not take any chanves and ensure they put you on the AB drip during labour.

With my second dc I wasnt in labour long enough (drip needs four hours to work, it was in about 20mins), so we had to stay in for obs for 48 hrs.

I managed to track down the midwife at 4.30 and have got a prescription for antibiotics which I have started.

Thanks toadielocks for the weblink lots of good info there.

I am worried further as the guidance above says that my baby is at even higher risk because my urine showed positive for GBS. Interestingly my urine dipped today did not show any sign of infection so I do wonder if I had done a sample today would it have shown up as positive, but I agree with you all that I won't take any chances which is why I have started the antibiotics (just trying to make myself feel a bit better for labour).

I've had a lot of stress and worry with this pregnancy and this is the final icing on the cake. I'm wondering if I should ask for a c-section.

For those of you who were positive for GBS, was it found in your urine? did you have healthy babies?

Hi there

I tested positive for GBS in a cervical swab at about 24 weeks last time (unrelated issue led to the swab). Like you I freaked out and made myself very anxious, but it was all fine. I had IV antibiotics in labour - once the cannula is in, you really don't notice it. My baby was healthy and we went home the next day.

This (2nd) pregnancy they will treat me as positive for GBS to be on the safe side, which is fine with me. The ABs are low hassle and I feel much more relaxed about it.

Try not to worry yourself more about it - just be aware of it.

All of this will be forgotten once you've got your baby safely home, I promise you that.

If you go into labour before you finish the antibiotic course then they'll probably put a IV in anyways, just make sure it's on your notes and you make the midwives aware that you had a positive test.

I had an awful and stressful 1st pregnancy and I felt too that it was the last straw in a very long nine months but I pleased I was aware as despite 2 lots of antibiotics in labour my little one caught it and was very poorly. We had a 5 day stay in hosp but because they were aware of it, they were looking for it and acted very quickly so she was totally fine, honestly though, it was all forgotten once I had her home.

You're doing everything you can so try not to worry yourself, just relax and try and prepare yourself for labour etc, plenty of rest and eat when you can, and plenty of putting your feet up.

The oral ab you are on now is to treat the gbs urine infection you have. It's important that cleats up do it doesn't travel to kidneys etc.

Oral AB do not prevent normal gbs colonisation.

The IV AB in labour is to stop the baby becoming infected when they're born. The alternative to IV in labour are several intramuscular jabs of penicillin in late pregnancy. (Can't remember number or dates). But this isn't standard treatment as apparently very painful and not as effective as IV.

Thanks everyone for reassurance. I had a good chat with my fantastic Consultant today. I went in with the thought that a c-section might be most protective for the baby but she gave good perspective and said its not needed.
I was a bit worried about getting the IV antibiotics 4 hours before I deliver as my first delivery was fast (didn't feel like that to me!) but I'm not too far away from the hospital and the GBS positive result will be the first thing I tell them on arrival. My Cons also said not to be fobbed off when I phone the unit in early labour (e.g. when they might say stay at home for a while etc) and just get down there.
She also did an internal exam on me (we were talking about induction) and cervix is 2cm in length still more posterior but was soft enough for her to insert fingers into the cervix and enable her to do a sweep). I don't think the sweep will work as looks like my cervix isn't quite ready yet.

toadierocks very sorry to hear your little one caught GBS but so pleased to hear all came out well in the end.

I just really want this baby in my arms now to know that all is ok, but I guess even when baby is born I'll be waiting for the weeks to go by to know that it hasn't caught GBS. But as you all say, GBS is known now so I am sure they will extra vigilant for it in baby.