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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Strep B

29 replies

AmieR · 03/01/2007 11:48

Pregnant with my first child, Due in about 9 weeks I guess now, doesn't time fly!

Well anyhoo, My Mother jsut asked me if I'd read anythign about Strep B, found some stuff, but nothing really too helpful. Just about how I could be a carrier but its not known and some tests aren't accurate etc..

What can I do to find out, any one have any suggestions or have had tests?

Love to hear from you.

Thanks.

OP posts:
lissielou · 03/01/2007 11:51

i am a gbs carrier and the main syptom was a discharge, like a watery cream (tmi sorry) you can ask your mw for a test. if pos you will need abs during labour

Furball · 03/01/2007 11:55

loads of info click here

wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 12:03

I have just had the GBS Screening done - it is £32 as they don't do it on the NHS, you need to go to www.gbss.com and order a pack from them. You do the test between 35-37 weeks and my results came back within two days (thankfully negative). The reason I did this is that my sister's SIL's baby died at 4 days old as she had undiagnosed GBS and he contracted an infection during labour.

If you are a GBS carrier though, (my best friend is) they will just treat you with antibiotics during labour which minimises any risks to the baby.

I think is it abysmal that the NHS do not routinely test women for this - my MW was quite flippant about GBS which really made me angry after what had happened to my sister's SIL. To think it could have been avoided for the sake of a simple test.

xx

Original poster
AmieR · 03/01/2007 12:14

I read that it wasn't available on the NHS and thought that was diabolical, esp as it could prevent deaths.

Will look into tess from gbss.

Thanks for your time

OP posts:
twoplusone · 03/01/2007 12:31

I had a gbs + test when my DS was 4 months old.. i told the comnsultant yesterday at my first scan (am 12weeks) and they took a swab to test for it again. I will have the results within the week.. ( I am in Germany though)

When I wqas hospitalised with my first pg (DD )10years ago I was tested at the hospital for gbs but was negative then. (That was St Georges in London)

I do find it shocking that they do not check for this routinely considering the effects if you are a carrier and you didnt know....

bewilderbeast · 03/01/2007 12:36

this has just been on This Morning. According to Dr Chris the NHS version of the test is useless and produces false negatives. He recommended that all mums pay for the private test.

wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 12:36

The MW said to me the reason they don't routinely test is that GBS can come and go out of your system i.e. you may test positive at 20 weeks but neg at 30 weeks. That is why the GBSS recommend testing between 35-37 weeks to see if it is present when you are nearing birth.

Original poster
AmieR · 03/01/2007 12:38

Did you undertake the test yourself? I mean as in carry it out yourself?

Now I know what my Mum does during the day!

OP posts:
wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 12:38

GBSS test involved taking a swab from the lower vagina and a rectal swab. Not very diginifed - luckily my DH is very easy going and helped me with the rectal one!!! although I am sure you could do it yourself in front of a mirror. Failing that, you can take the pack to your GP or nurse and they will do it for you.

Original poster
AmieR · 03/01/2007 12:43

Its all worth it though. I'm sure if needs be DH would "muck in".

£32 isn't a lot of money for piece of mind but you still have to wonder why the NHS don't offer a routine test, and try their best to do it in the suggested weeks of gestation... saying that I nearly missed my 16 week triple tests as they didn't want to scan me for a dating scan and had me booked straight in for my "20" weeks scan! which in the end would have been my 23rd week

I understand its probably all down to cost, but still.. it could prevent deaths and heartache.

OP posts:
wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 12:52

GBSS are campaigning to try and make it a routine test. In the USA all women are routinely tested.

I just cannot bear to think what my sister's SIL is going through - to have a healthy child and then it develop an infection because you weren't told about a £32 test....doesn't bear thinking about

jabberwocky · 03/01/2007 12:55

I'm in the US and was tested both times. As already stated it is routine here and is a very simple test. I was negative with ds1 but positive with ds2. No symptoms at all!

BadHair · 03/01/2007 13:10

Could you not suggest to your MW that you have a thick discharge and ask to be tested? Those were my symptoms when I was tested and found positive.

Original poster
AmieR · 03/01/2007 14:08

I've emailed the lab that gbss site suggests. I would ask fro a NHS one, but seeing as it seems pretty pointless... I may as well do this!

OP posts:
wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 14:21

They were really good with me and answered all questions I had. They also send a spare pack out that you can pass to a friend. You don't pay for the test until you send the swabs back.

nuttygirl · 03/01/2007 14:28

How far in advance did you order the test? I'm 27 weeks tomorrow and am wondering if I should order now or wait a few weeks.

3rdTriMossTer · 03/01/2007 14:35

Amie hello

Thanks for bringing my attention to this. I'm going to speak to dh about it tonight and will probably do it online through that web site.

Thanks!
Mossy xx

Original poster
AmieR · 03/01/2007 15:42

Nutty Girl - I've mailed them today (as yet, not heard anything, but inlike me they're probably busy) I'm 32 weeks tomorrow.

Maybe Wilkie50 will pop back at some point and let us know.

OP posts:
wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 16:20

Hello - I ordered my test pack when I was about 28 weeks (cos I am very organised and sad!!!) You get two cotton wool swabs and two lab tubes to put the swabs in once you have taken them. There is a freepost envelope and a form, you send the form and swabs back with your switch/credit card details. They even send you the results by text if you require, they then write to you and your midwife/GP confirming the result.

Website is www.gbss.org.uk (sorry I wrote it down wrong earlier) and you can email the Doctors Laboratory direct to request a Group B Strep Screening Pack at [email protected]

Original poster
AmieR · 03/01/2007 16:26

I just got a reply and its all ordered.

Will mention it to my MW tomorrow just to let her know I'm aware of it etc etc.

Thanks Wilkie50 for your input and hopefully we've helped other out by highlighting the optiosn you do have if you wish to take a test.

OP posts:
donnacb · 03/01/2007 16:26

nhs tend to test as far as i know if you have had a previous positive swab , prolonged rupture of membranes, preterm birth and after labour. gbs can be horrible and can make babies evry sick very quickly. If your worried speak to your gp who im sure can organise a swab to be taken even if the midwife cant

wilkie50 · 03/01/2007 16:29

Donnacb - MW and GP said they won't test for GBS unless there are reasons like you listed above. I am sure it is to do with funding...(isn't everything???)

oremstango · 03/01/2007 17:31

Amazing- I'd never heard of this until I had my little boy pre-term last month. The only sympton we had that this was an issue was that his umbilical cord became infected and a swab revealed Step B- in reading this I realize how lucky this was as he then got on antibiotics. I loved it as in typical NHS fashion they take a test (I think this is standard, at least at Kingston?) and found the Strep B at the time of delivery, and I received a note notifying me of this via post 10 days later when it was too late to really matter.

annobal · 03/01/2007 18:56

I found I was a GBS carrier when pg with DS2. I panicked when I found this out and found out as much as I could about it. The upshot was that the infection comes and goes so "they" assume that if you are a carrier you will need antibiotics at birth regardless.
I hated having the drip in during DS2's birth and found it really restricting and uncomfortable. I'm also allergic to penicillin and tend to have quick births so they gave me an alternative which works a lot quicker (apparently it is more expensive hence not the standard on NHS).
I have discussed the whole situation with my MW. The chances of being +ve at the time of birth combined with the chance of passing that to the baby and that the baby will then develop an infection are quite low.
As I am keen to have a homebirth this time round, at this stage I am thinking that I won't be taking the antibiotics. However that said, I will probably get tested at around 37 weeks and make a final decision at that time.

annobal · 03/01/2007 18:59

Sorry - x posted oremstango - DS1 was a premmie (31 weeks) and although I was never given an answer, I think this was probably why he was born early. I obviously didn't have the antibiotics with DS1.