Group B Strep

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Secur- I had thought about getting tested for this I was in last pg and it came back -ve.

All I really (think i) know about it is if you are a carrier then you need to be put onto a drip of antibiotics when you go into labour (bang will go your HB I think) to stop the baby becoming infected as it can cause all sorts of dramas.

I do remember seeing another thread for this but I cant remember how to do a hyperlink

Secur: search the thread on this site, there's some really helpful info by people far more knowledgable than me. I was carrying it when DS was born - it is present in about a third of the population, I think. But it is only an issue if your waters break a long way in advance of delivery. They can do a swab once you are in labour if things are dragging on or your waters broke early, I think. You can get tested in advance, but whether you are infected or not can change in the meantime. The official name is GBS, and there is a good official website.

old thread
and this thread gives a link to a previous one which has lots of info too, and the link to the official GBS support site.

Secur, I remember I had this link in my favorites.
It may be of some use.
www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=1350

GET THE TEST!!!! Simple way to put your mind at ease and possibly save the life of your unborn.

Wondering what I base this on? Our third child was born here in the UK and although I did ask to be tested, my midwife assured me that the risks were minimal as I was negative with our first two. She also pointed out that the test was NOT done here routineley and that it would take time to organise. Thankfully it is done routinely all accross North America and likely will be here soon when the medical profession wake up to the fact that it costs far more to hospitalise a septic infant for a week of iv anti-biotics than it takes to run a simple swab.
I may sound harsh but our ds2 nearly died when he became septic at 6 weeks having been ill with none other than group-B strep contracted during delivery. Grand total, he spent 3 weeks in hospital and had every test going including a lombar puncture because the doctors were reluctant to acknowledge that it might be group-B strep. (If we don't need to test for it routinely at 37 weeks, surely it must not exist?!)

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Thank you. I have been wanting to have the swab for a long time. I found it outrageous that my midwife tried to put me off having the test done. Her excuse was that it is so rare, and that I could be a carrier now and not in labour and vice versa! I don't know if that's true but she never told me about GBS and never told me that I could have a test done between 35 weeks and 37 weeks.
I have sort of lost faith in her (providing I ever had any). They told us about it at the antenatal classes, but only very briefly, and again said that there would be no point being tested now, as you could become a carrier later.
It's not as rare as they say (1 in 700 babies are infected every year, 15% of those babies die from it. Babies normally get infected within 48 hours after labour, but some can get it in the next 3 months after labour.) Why is it not done routinely? No one barely tells you about it I think that's outrageous.

I requested a kit as well, I hope it can be done quickly.
Secur, what kind of Health professional can do the swab? Can it be a doctor or a nurse? Who do I ask?

Hope this helps you

gbs

Yes thanks.
A kit is on its way to me.
However I spoke to a nurse from my surgery to ask her who could do the swab for me, and she told me to book an appointment with my doctor as she didn't have a clue what GBS was.
I asked to speak to the doctor as it seemed pointless to book an appointment just for a query but she refused to even leave him a message.

Just got the kit/information pack, and you can actually do the swabs yourself (very easy) however a health professional needs to fill up the request form and the results will come to him/her directly.

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what is streb b?

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Bambi, it is a bacteria lots of women carry, it can often cause sore throats. Some women carry it in the vaginal canal and it can be passed to the baby in childbirth. GBS infections is responsible for cases of meningitis and other potentially fatal illnesses of newborn babies. There is loads more info on the website. I'll find you a link.

I have just discovered that my gp's surgery DO offer the test routinely. They are rather progressive with the single vaccines for M, M, and R and offer the baby jabs without the mercury so I shouldn't have been as (pleasantly) surprised.

here is a link

When I was at hospital at the start of labour, I have memories of being tested "for infection". I think this was my water, rather than a swab being done, but after a sleepless night stuck at 2 cm dilated, my recollection is somewhat shaky. Could Mears or Pupuce or somebody knowledgable comment on whether people are usually tested for GBS at the start of labour anyway, as this may set poster's minds at rest.

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If you turn up in hospital when your waters have leaked a swab will be taken to test for Strep B. It takes 48n hours to get the results.

I had that pupuce, problem is results were too late!! but i had a thought, would i still have it in the future when i have other children?

Interesting question I'm not sure about that.
My doctor had no problem with filling up the form for me, however she had NO IDEA what GBS was.
So she had to read the information I'd brought with me (luckily enough), before she did anything.
I think it's outrageous that a doctor should refuse to do it because it's unnecessary. It's sounds like he was just being plain akward.
However I did the swabs myself and I'm not sure I've done them right. I've got to phone them for the results.
By the way, they said it was £18 and it's now £28.
Don't know why.

Hope peoples don't mind me popping in on this thread (not being pregnant).

Tammybear, as a carrier of GBS, it may be either active or inactive at different times during any future pregnancy so it is probably best to be safe and have intravenous antibiotics during labour.

Celou. Regarding the increase in fee to £28. I have just read elsewhere that it would seem the recent 'This Morning' interview brought in such a response to testing that TDL realised they were 'losing money' (so annoying when more tests should mean less costs). At the moment though, if you already have the 'old' leaflet with the £18 fee shown, it seems they will honour this amount (so may be worth telling them that this is what you expected to pay).

Can I also remind folks of the current Early Day Motion that needs the support of your local MP's to further the cause of GBS testing/treatment etc - please see all the details in Blu's 'old thread' link further down this page. If anyone can write to their MP asking for support it would be very helpful.

Thanks for reading.

butterfly

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